And So It Began
by Eliza Lighton
Summary: When he sat down beside her, ignoring the bloody and fractured nose, civvies, hateful glares from most of the cadets on the shuttle, and offered her a drink of his flask, she realized something. He was just alone as she was, but maybe they didn't have to be alone anymore. always-a-girl!Kirk/McCoy.
1. Chapter 1

When they got off the shuttle, Jim was sure she'd never see the grumpy doctor again. That made her inexplicably sad, which in turn confused her. Jim Kirk, forever unattached, feeling some sense of kinsman ship with a man who must be certifiably insane, gauging from his rant on space? Strange.

What was even stranger was the relief she felt when she saw him again at the line for late housing. They were the only two from their shuttle and were the last two in line, and when they were told that there were few options left for housing except for co-ed rooming, she hoped against all hope that she could be paired with him. It had to be the hangover.

"Do you have any preferences for roommates?" the attendant asked McCoy (was that his name?).

"Hell if I care. I don't know anyone else here," he grumbled. "Stick me with whomever you want, preferably no communal showers if you got 'em. You got no idea the nasties that grow in there."

"We do, we have one left. Would you like that one?"

"Didn't I - didn't I just say that I wanted no communal showers? Yes, I would like that room."

He signed his name on the PADD next to the room, and grabbed the key card from the attendant. He grabbed his bag, singular then headed in the general direction of his new dorm. Jim watched him until the attendant cleared his throat. She turned back to the attendant and stated she wanted no communal showers. She signed her name under his (it was McCoy), and ran after him.

"Hey! Hey, uh, McCoy!"

McCoy stopped and turned towards the voice. He saw the girl from the shuttle that he'd sat next to running towards him. "Forget something, kid?"

"No! I just figured that since we were rooming together, we could walk together," she said, struggling to catch her breath. "God, my ribs hurt."

"Yeah, that's what happens when you get in bar fights. You probably bruised something." He resumed walking and Kirk waited for the recognition of her first statement. McCoy stopped abruptly and spun on his heel. She ran into him. "We're what now?"

"Rooming together. Roomies? Bunk mates? I hate communal showers, too germy," she said brightly, grinning at his scowl.

"You gotta be kidding me," McCoy muttered. He glanced her over, and noticed she had less than he did. "Where's your bag, kid?"

"Eh, don't have one. 'Sides, they'll be giving me all I need, uniforms and PADDs for class. Don't need anything else."

"No pictures, no vids, nothing?"

"Nobody that cares." She began towards the dorm again.

McCoy baffled at the woman walking in front of him. She seemed to have less than he did, a divorcee with no job and no home. Yet she still grinned at everything. Strange.


	2. Chapter 2

The rooming situation had been a little awkward at first, with this being McCoy's first co-ed rooming situation excluding the years he was married, but they got used to each other. She got used to his study habits, he got used to her unexpected neatness. They each got used to each other's strange hours, McCoy's from a part time job at the campus clinic, Jim's from bar hopping.

Jim was finally completely enjoying herself. She was top in all her classes, finally seemed to fit in with a particular group of cadets who, like herself, were in the command track with engineering focus. She also had found a somewhat constant companion in McCoy. They ate together, had three classes together, and they studied together. Yes, Jim Kirk was studying.

One night, six months into the Academy, cemented their friendship. Somehow, Jim had managed to convince McCoy to join her on one of her typical Saturday nights. She introduced him to her favorite bartenders, by name, no less. To McCoy's surprise, her attention seemed to be focused solely on him. She even attempted to play wingman, pointing out several women that she thought would fit his "type".

Two bars in, McCoy bowed out, citing upcoming exams and a clinic shift the next day. Jim's smile and eyes dimmed. "Look, Jim, you'll have much more fun without a boring and grumpy old man. Go on without me." With a pat on the shoulder, he left.

He made it back to their dorm and took a shower to rid himself of the smoke and alcohol smell. He looked at a clock, and satisfied that there were still a couple of hours left for studying, curled up in a small arm chair with a PADD. An hour in, his comm beeped. Thinking it was Jim, he ignored it. In the middle of the night, who else would it be.

Fifteen minutes later, the comm beeped again. McCoy sighed, put down his PADD, and grabbed the comm. "McCoy here."

"You Doctor McCoy?" a gruff voice said.

"What are you doing callin' me at 2 in the morning? People sleep at this time."

"I got a girl here. Says she knows ya. She's hurt real bad, got in a fight, I dunno. You gotta come get 'er."

McCoy ran a hand through his hair. He'd heard of some of Jim's antics, but none had ever escalated this bad. "Where is she?"

"At Glass's."

"Ok. I'll be there in about ten minutes. Can you stay with her?" he asked, hearing a beep signifying the call had been terminated. "Dammit."

He all but ran to the bar, and saw the bar was practically empty, save for a woman passed out at a table in the back. McCoy made his way to the bartender. "What happened?"

She looked up from the bar, and shrugged. "Don't know. She was flirting with this guy, he got a little fresh, I guess. It just exploded from there."

McCoy was stunned. "And no one did anything?"

"She broke his wrist. We figured she could handle herself."

"Thanks."

McCoy made his way to the table and sat down beside her. From what little he could see of her face, Jim had a broken nose plus a bruised or fractured eye socket. If he ever found out who could hit a woman like this, he'd kill them. Softly, he brushed the hair from her face and whispered her name. "Jim, it's time to go."

Jim began to stir and blinked stupidly for a moment until she recognized the face beside her. Her eyes got wide and she looked at her lap. She murmured a small greeting.

"Hey yourself. What say you we go home?"

When she nodded, he wrapped her arm around his neck and his arm around her waist. He nodded at the bartender, and they slowly walked back to campus. The cold air helped to sober Jim up, and she became aware of the situation.

"You didn't have to come get me, but thanks."

"Yes I did. What was I going to do, leave you there to be accosted by some other bastard?"

"I can handle myself."

He snorted. "I can see that."

They walked the rest of the way to the dorm in silence. When they got to their room, McCoy grabbed a medical kit from under his bed and led her to the bathroom. When she protested, he forced her to sit on the side of the tub. "Shut up, Kirk. I gotta reset your nose, 'cause it's a full break this time, and your eye socket looks fractured. Not to mention the cuts that need to be cleaned."

"It's fine, Bones. Just set the nose and leave me be."

He froze and his eyes grew big. Shit, did she just say that out loud? She did. Shit.

"Bones?"

Jim attempted to shrug it off. "Yeah, it's a nickname. Bones."

"One offhanded comment about a divorce and I'm branded _Bones_?"

"Huh? No, it's short for Sawbones? You know, the old slang for doctor? You're old fashioned and made me think of it."

McCoy slowly returned to prepping a scanner. He shrugged and scanned her face. "Damn. He really worked you over. Fractured eye socket, like I thought." He moved the scanner to her hands. Right wrist sprained, bruised knuckles. "A cracked rib, too."

"Just set the nose. The rest'll be fine. I've had worse." She tried to stand and he forced her to sit again.

"No, dammit. You're lucky he didn't break a rib. Or worse. What the hell happened?"

He went to work on healing the fractures above her eye as she began her story. It seemed after he left, she went to Glass's and began to drink heavily, when a man in his thirties came up and sat next to her. They flirted, he grabbed her ass, and she slapped him. He back handed her, and she fought back. "By the time they separated us, I had twisted his wrist and I guess it snapped. They sat me at that table, and the next thing I remember is you sitting beside me." She looked up at him and thanked him again.

He turned off the dermal regenerator and met her eyes. Blue met hazel and it seemed, for Kirk at least, that the world had slowed. She felt safe, completely safe, for the first time in her life. McCoy put a hand on her shoulder.

"You can always call me to come get you, you know that right?"

Kirk swallowed. "I don't need a hero, Bones."

"That's not what I meant. You're the only person I can halfway stand. If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do?"

Jim didn't know what to say. His eyes were still on her, and she almost forgot to breathe, thinking he might kiss her. Then McCoy slapped her shoulder, and the moment ended. She had to still be drunk.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the semester passed in relative normality. Classes, lunch meetings, and study sessions filled a lot of their time. And for the most part, Jim stayed out of trouble. She finished the semester at the top of her cadet class in Federation History I, Basic Engineering, and Intro to Command; she came second in hand to hand, but that was probably because the instructor was a chauvinist pig.

Jim managed to get into only a few more fights, and like the first time, Bones was there to fix her up. He'd grumble about "damned foolishness" and wondered why she couldn't pick fights with people her own size. She'd shut him up with a laugh and a pointed look that clearly said "Where's the fun in that".

And she'd finally realized that, although it was an impossible idea, she was more and more attracted to him. It was different than the guys at the bars she went to. With them, she (and they, let's be honest) only wanted a night with no attachments. She enjoyed the domesticity she had with Bones, however. Jim brought him coffee during his massive study sessions during finals. They had pizza for dinner on Saturdays when he didn't have a shift at the clinic, and they'd watch old movies, and just… hang. It was nice.

In December, when the semester ended, all cadets received free transport credits to travel home for the holidays. They hadn't discussed plans, but Jim was definitely staying in the dorms. It wasn't as if she had any other place to go, and she'd assumed it'd be the same for McCoy as well. Up until she came home to find him packing.

"Where are you headed?" she asked.

"Home. Jocelyn graciously granted me a week with Joanna while she and Clyde travel to New York to visit his parents."

She sat on her bed and watched him stuff a duffle with the few civilian clothes he had along with PADDs. Homework, of course. "I thought she was barely letting you talk to Joanna on comm, let alone see her."

"I'm guessing she's out of babysitting options. Clyde's parents don't approve of her or Joanna," he said, preoccupied. "What are your plans?"

She picked at the comforter on her bed and forced a grin. "Oh, you know. I think I'm going to stick around San Fran, see what the city has to offer."

Bones stopped packing and looked at her. "Aww, shit, Jim. I forgot, I'm sorry."

"It's cool, Bones, really. Tell Joanna hi for me."

McCoy ran a head over his head. "Well, you could come down to visit for a couple of days. If you want, that is. Joanna told me she wanted to meet my idiot roommate in her last letter."

Jim laughed. "Idiot? Thanks for building me up, Bones. I might take you up on that. If I can fit it into my busy schedule, that is." She played it off, but really was relieved that McCoy would let her within a hundred yards of his daughter. She knew that her antics must leave her very low in the role model category.

Bones left for his shuttle fifteen minutes later, and the silence in the room was oppressive to Jim. She set about cleaning the room, the old fashioned way, scrubbing the bathroom and hand washing dishes. She read a book or three. Paced around the room. The next morning she booked a shuttle ride to Atlanta and sent McCoy a comm saying she would in fact be taking him up on his offer.

Jim's shuttle landed in Atlanta in the late afternoon two days later. She spent the ride bouncing with nervousness and hoping he hadn't been offering just to be nice. She did not want to be an imposition. Jim stepped off the shuttle and let her eyes adjust to the bright Southern sky. She picked up her bag and made her way to the public transport that would take her to her hotel.

She was stopped, though, when a small body launched itself at her legs, effectively immobilizing her.

"Joanna! Get back here, you crazy thing. Let the woman walk, for God's sake," a gruff voice called above the crowd. Jim looked down and saw that the body was that of a six year old girl with long dark hair and hazel eyes.

"Hello there. I'm sorry to ask, but could you help me?" Jim asked the girl, unwrapping her legs from her. The girl said nothing in reply, grinning. Jim bent to meet her eyes. "I am looking for a grumpy old man. Really tall, broad shoulders, a permanent frowny face? Have you seen him?"

Joanna giggled. "Daddy's not grumpy, he just worries a whole lot."

"Oh. My mistake. But you have seen him then?" She stood up and held her hand out. "Lead on, McCoy."

Joanna pulled Jim through the crowd towards her father. She watched as McCoy's shoulders loosened as his daughter came fully back into sight. Jim grinned brightly at him, and said, "You didn't have to come for me."

"I told you I always would. 'Sides, how'd you know how to get to our place?"

"I was going to get settled into my hotel and then comm you."

Joanna gasped. "No, Daddy! She's gotta come stay with us! Gramma won't like her stayin' somewhere else."

Bones sighed, and looked at his daughter. "It's not my decision, darlin'. You need to ask Jim. Maybe she doesn't want to stay at Gramma's."

Joanna looked pleadingly at Jim. "Pretty please, Ms Jim? Gramma's got a room all fixed up and everything!" She crooked her finger at Jim and looked left and right. Jim bent down towards her. "She even made peach cobbler, but don't tell Daddy. It's a surprise!" she whispered conspiratorially.

Jim bent back up, turning her attention to McCoy. "I'm being bribed. It's up to you, you're the host, Bones."

He took her bag, grabbed Joanna's hand, and began walking towards the parking lot. "Guess you'll have to cancel your reservations, kid."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I AM SO SORRY Y'ALL. Summer School and work sucks for writing and availability. So so sorry. I hope this makes up for it and I'm working on the next now and should have it up within a week or two, then a normal schedule after that. Scout's honor.

McCoy stood on his mother's porch on the third day of Jim's visit, watching Jim play with Joanna. They were playing tag. His daughter hid behind the tree and waited for Jim to walk by, then jumped, tagged her and screamed "Gotcha!" while running away. Jim groaned good naturedly, and ran after the girl. A chuckle sounded behind him.

Ellen McCoy stood at the sink, looking at the girls in the yard. "She's really good with kids. Joanna wouldn't stop talking about her when we went to the store yesterday."

"Yeah, it helps that Jim's really just a big kid."

Ellen wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to her son. "I have to say, you surprised me a little when you said you might be bringing a friend with you, but I was stunned when you showed up with a woman in tow. A beautiful woman at that."

He put an arm around her and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "It's not what you think, Ma. She's just a friend. I met her on the shuttle to the Academy, and I have to say she was probably in a worse spot than me at the time." He laughed when Ellen raised an eyebrow. "I'm serious! She literally had nothing but the clothes on her back and actually seemed happy to be spending most of her time with a grumpy divorced man."

They walked to the kitchen table and sat down, Ellen pouring them each a cup of coffee. McCoy took the cup with a nod of thanks and took a sip. "God, I forgot how good real coffee tastes. If I don't want replicated crap, I have to pay a ridiculous amount at a barista shop on the opposite side of campus. Jim's a handful though, don't get me wrong. She's come home from bar hopping a few times after having been in bad fights. I've had to reset her nose three times this semester alone."

Ellen shook her head. She got up as a timer went off and pulled a roast out of the oven. She asked McCoy to call the "children" in.

He stuck his head out the door and yelled "Dinner's ready! Get your lazy bums in here!"

"Thank you, Leonard. I could have done that myself."

Bones just grinned in response and Jim and Joanna raced in the door. Joanna ran and sat down at the table. "Beat ya!" she exclaimed.

Jim walked to the sink and began to wash her hands. "Nuh uh! Someone didn't wash their hands!" she sang and received a tongue stuck out in response.

"Joanna McCoy, get over there and wash your hands," Ellen said sternly. Jim sat in her seat and placed a napkin in her lap as the McCoys finished washing up and sat down. The four joined hands and McCoy said grace. As they released hands, he caught Jim's eye across the table and smiled. She gave him a big grin in response.

"Leonard, she's really not as uncivilized as you paint her to be," Ellen said, eyes sparkling with humor.

Jim's jaw dropped and she turned slowly to look at McCoy. "Really, now? Uncivilized?"

Bones looked her in the eye and said, "Ma, you just haven't seen her dive into a pizza yet. Sauce everywhere. Almost as bad as Joanna."

"Am not!" Jim exclaimed as Joanna said "I'm not that messy!"

"Are too."

Jim shook her head and stuck a hand up at McCoy. "I'm through with you." They both laughed and Jim turned to Ellen. "Mrs. McCoy, this is the best roast I've ever had."

After dinner, McCoy and Jim washed dishes while Ellen and Joanna played cards at the table. McCoy couldn't help but notice that Jim seemed much more open and natural in Georgia than she was at the Academy. And his mother was right, she did seem to have a way with Joanna.

"Penny for your thoughts, Bones."

McCoy rinsed off a plate. "Nothing. When's your shuttle tomorrow?"

Jim took the plate he handed her and began to dry it. "Pretty early. I have to be there at eleven to board." She put the dry plate on the rack and took another from him. Their fingers brushed.

"Oh."

They finished the plates and glasses in relative silence. McCoy drained the sink and wiped down the counter as Jim joined his mother and daughter in their card game. Jim lifted Joanna out of her seat and sat her on her lap. He grabbed his PADD and sat down in an arm chair near enough to hear their conversation but far enough away that he could simply observe.

Jim stuck her head around Joanna's left shoulder. "What game are we playing?"

"Go Fish! It's my favorite. Gramma always loses," the six year old giggled.

"Never heard of it. Will you teach me?"

Joanna nodded and began to explain the objective of the game. Jim focused fully on the girl, with a look of pure joy on her face. This continued for another hour, until McCoy closed down his PADD and cleared his voice. "Joanna, it's time for bed."

Joanna threw her head back and groaned. "But Dad! We're in the middle of the game!"

"I'm sure Jim can finish it for you."

"Nooo! I want Jim to tell me a story! Please can we finish?" She pushed out her bottom lip and opened her eyes wide.

"No, Joanna. It's bedtime. Your mother would have my hide if she knew we went for ice cream today, let alone staying up past your bedtime. Come on, teeth and PJs."

"Jim, will you pretty please come read me a story? I promise I'll brush my teeth really good!"

Jim was helpless to the big eyes and pout. She ran a hand over Joanna's head and said, "Of course. Go get ready and I'll be up in a bit."

Joanna squealed with delight and ran up the stairs. Bones tilted his head, listening for the sink upstairs. When he heard it, he turned to Jim. "One story. Don't let her beg you for more or she'll never get to sleep."

Jim patted Bones on the chest and winked at him. "Trust me, I got it." She went upstairs.

Bones huffed out a sigh and sat next to his mother at the table. When she chuckled he glared at her. "What?"

"She's a handful, alright."

"Well, she's a six year old and she's spending a week away from her mother. What'd you expect?"

"Not her. Jim." McCoy raised an eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that. She's got you wrapped around her finger, and the way she looks at you?"

"Ma, it really isn't what you think. I see what she's like around men she's interested in. When she wants you, it's blatant. There's none of that with me. She doesn't see me like I see her."

"Oh, Leonard. You may not see it, but it's there. Give it time."

He shrugged. "It's scary, Ma. I haven't felt like this about anybody. There are times when I absolutely can't stand her. She's reckless with her life; you should see her after some of her training exercises and it's only the first year. She has no filter. And then there are times where she seems so absolutely lost and childlike. She calls and I jump."

He stopped talking when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Jim came bounding down from Joanna's bedroom. "She wants to say goodnight to you, Bones."

McCoy pushed up from the table with a huff. He walked up to his daughter's room and opened the door. Joanna looked at him patiently. He sat down on the side of her bed and brushed some hair out of her face. "Did you brush your teeth?" A nod. "Say your prayers?" Another nod. "Get a good story out of Jim?" An enthusiastic nod. "Good. What's the word, hummingbird?"

"I like Jim a lot, Daddy. Can we keep her?"

Bones chuckled. "Honey, I don't think anyone could ever 'keep' Jim. But that's a matter for another day." He leaned down and kissed his daughter's forehead. "Go to sleep," he said sternly. He got up and turned off the light. As he shut the door, he looked at his daughter's face and uttered a whispered "I love you."

Early the next morning, the small kitchen of the McCoy home was a frenzy of breakfast and goodbyes. The female McCoys bid their houseguest farewell, with the elder opening her home for further visits and the younger bravely holding back tears. Jim, herself, was not far from tears, and told Bones on the drive to the shuttle as much.

"It's been a long time since I've felt this at home, Bones," she said as she grabbed his hand. Bones stiffened for a second, and then relaxed as she squeezed it. "Thank you, Bones. _Thank you_." He nodded and squeezed her hand back.

The rest of the short drive passed in a comfortable silence, and nothing was said as they parked and walked towards the shuttle. Bones insisted on carrying Jim's small knapsack, despite her protests, handing it to the baggage handler. They exchanged a hug and McCoy patted Jim on the back as she stepped into the shuttle.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: *lays offering at your feet* A new chapter without having to wait a month! I can't begin to tell you how awesome all of you who have put this on alert/favorites. You're my favorites!

TWO YEARS LATER

Jim pulled her hair back into a pony tail. She pulled one arm across her chest, then the other. "Come on, Bones. It's one little training session. I promise not to laugh."

McCoy rounded the corner and entered the small training room Jim had reserved. "Alright already. Geez, woman, there's no need to be so pushy."

"Yes there is, Bones. You told me yourself Lieutenant Ramirez said that if you fail this sim, you fail the class."

Bones rubbed the back of his neck. He sighed heavily and looked at the ground. "I'm a healer, Jim. Not a fighter. I'm not built that way."

Jim bounced on her feet and rolled her head. "That's what I'm here for. Now, try and grab me."

McCoy paled. "Uhm, what now?"

"Grab. Me. Right here," she said, pointing at her waist.

"Naw, I'd really rather not."

"Leonard McCoy, if you don't try and grab my waist, I'm going to grab you."

Bones put up his hands in surrender. He slowly circled Jim, analyzing the best way to approach her.

"Stop thinking, Bones. I can hear the wheels turning in your head. Let it be natural."

"Natural, huh?" he whispered in her ear as he grabbed her waist from behind. Jim jumped into action, using his body to propel herself up. She elbowed him in the groin, kicked behind her, grabbed his arm and flipped him onto a mat. Bones groaned as Jim stood over him.

"Yeah. Natural." She offered him a hand and laughed as he stood up. "We got a lot of work to do."

For hours, Jim taught Bones the basics of hand to hand combat. How to throw a punch. How to block a punch. How to use your body to counteract the movements of another. How to know your opponent's move before they do. And by the end of the session, Jim was satisfied that Bones could at least pass his simulation. She still flipped him one last time to remind him she was better.

"You'll do," she said as she offered him a hand. He pulled her on to the mat beside him.

"Thanks for the support."

She punched him in the shoulder. "I'm sorry, who's the one who just spent three hours on a Friday afternoon helping you learn to fight?"

He rubbed his shoulder. "You're right, you're right. I'm sorry. Thank you."

She nodded in satisfaction. McCoy looked up at the clock. "Shit, I gotta go."

"Right right. You have that dinner thing." He'd been groaning for weeks about the annual Starfleet Medical banquet. It was required attendance for all Medical employees.

"Yep."

He hopped up and extended his hand to her. She pulled herself to her feet. They clocked out of the training room and made their way back to their dormitory. McCoy immediately went to shower and Jim grabbed a bottle of water. A comm beep signaled that someone had left a message.

Jim hit a button and a woman's voice filled the room. "Sorry Len, I won't be able to make it tonight. I have to catch the next shuttle home. I think we may have finally found someone who knows something about Roger. I know that it's so last minute and I'm sorry." She paused, and Jim could faintly hear an announcement in the background. "That's my shuttle. I have to go. Again, I'm really sorry. Chapel out."

Chapel? Jim's stomach sank. Bones had never mentioned anyone named Chapel, let alone needing a date to the banquet. She jumped as the door opened behind her.

"Who was that?" he asked.

Jim swallowed. "You had a message. Some chick named Chapel canceling tonight. Something about her Roger?"

Bones toweled off his hair. "Crap. Well, I hope it's good news. Lord knows she needs it."

"Who is she?"

"Hmm? Oh, she's a nurse I work with. She's engaged to a scientist who's off planet and she's the only one with enough sense that I can stand to be around. We've gone together to a couple other functions for company." He threw the towel into the laundry hamper. "Now I'm going to have to deal with those idiots all night."

He turned to go back into his room. The door was almost closed when Jim said quietly, "I could go."

McCoy turned around and looked at her. "If you want company, that is."

"I figured you'd hang with Gaila and your usual crowd tonight."

She looked at the ground. "I could cancel."

"I'd love company."

Jim looked up at him with a huge grin. "Give me ten?"

Twenty minutes later, McCoy and Kirk walked across campus towards the banquet location. She wore a simple green dress with a golden cardigan. It fit her personality more than the outfits she wore drinking, and he was distracted by how it made her shine. He wore a simple suit and tie. Before they entered, Jim stood in front of McCoy and straightened his tie. "Would you quit fussing over me?"

"No."

He sighed. "It's not like I have to impress anyone." He grabbed her hands and sternly told her to stop.

"Yes, you do. The big wigs are here, right?" At his nod, she continued. "And you hate flying? Impressing these guys can get you a good hospital placement when we graduate. Or would you rather fly in the 'disease wrapped in darkness and silence'?"

Bones grimaced. He turned and offered her his arm, "Well it's good I got my arm candy, then."

Jim stood a little straighter, adjusted her dress and took his arm. "Damn straight."

McCoy marveled at the way Jim could charm a crowd. Single handedly, she held long conversations with several of the higher ups in Starfleet, speaking on topics varying from basic field medicine to the political situation on Venga III. He didn't even know there was a political situation on Venga III. Shortly before the dinner was served, she caught his eye over an ambassador's shoulder. He excused himself from a colleague and escorted her away to their table.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just these shoes. I think my toes might fall off before the evening's over." Her eyes were cold, however, and her hands were sweaty. She was not alright. His suspicions were confirmed when the ambassador made his way over to them.

"Well hello again, Cadet Kirk. Who's your escort?"

"Admiral Escobar, this is my friend, Dr. Leonard McCoy. Bones, this is Admiral Giancarlo Escobar. He's the head of the Starfleet History department."

The ambassador smiled at McCoy and reached out to shake his hand, but McCoy's hand stayed firmly on Jim's back. "Ah. Nice to meet you, McCoy. My friends at medical speak very highly of you. They say you're one of the most experienced cadets they've seen in a while."

Bones did not get a good feeling from Escobar. And he especially did not appreciate how the admiral's eyes lingered on Jim's neckline. "It might be from the fact that I had my medical degree and had practiced for several years before enlisting," he said gruffly, hoping to end the conversation.

"Yes, that might be it. Cadet Kirk, I heard tell you were planning on retaking the Kobyashi Maru. Is that true?"

Jim looked at her hands and said coldly, "Yes, Admiral."

Escobar laughed heartily. "I don't know whether you're brave or just plain stupid. No one ever passes that test. Not even your father," his voice turned to ice, "or Admiral Pike."

Jim stiffened slightly under McCoy's hand. She met the admiral's eyes. "There's a first for everything, isn't there?" She stood up and McCoy's hand fell from her back. "If you gentlemen will excuse me."

Escobar shook his head lightly and placed his napkin in his lap. "She better hurry. This steak is to die for when it's fresh."

McCoy stood up violently, bumping the table and causing water to slosh out of a glass. He growled, "Excuse me," and headed in the direction Jim had went.

He found her standing just outside the ladies' room, dabbing at her eyes with her fingers. She caught sight of him in the mirror and attempted to run into the restroom, but McCoy grabbed her arm.

"Who was that asshat?"

"No one," she sniffed. "I'm alright, Bones. Promise." She tried to smile, but it fell quickly.

Bones wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back gently. "We can go if you want."

"No," she muttered into his chest. "I'm not weak. I can face him."

He leaned back from her and wiped a tear off her cheek. "I wasn't suggesting you were. I was saying for his safety and that of my career, we should probably leave."

Jim laughed a little. She took a deep breath, looked in the mirror and sighed. "Damage isn't that bad." She wiped at her eyes. "Let's go back."

He eyed her and shrugged. "If you want. But you're going to tell me who he is when we get home."

She shrugged and took his arm. They walked back to the table, and it was as if the earlier conversations had never happened. Jim spoke eloquently with the other admirals and doctors at the table, effectively hiding any discomfort Escobar caused her. McCoy, however, said nothing else the entire night, until it was time to leave. The admiral grabbed his elbow as they were walking away from the table.

"So what's she getting from you?" he whispered into McCoy's ear.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Escobar scoffed. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Or what, are you just her live-in?"

McCoy stiffened. "We're friends, nothing more, nothing less. I don't have the faintest idea what you're suggesting, but I can assure you, you have the wrong idea about her."

"Let me ask you this, _doctor_. How else do you think she's passing advanced level courses and got on the fast track?" He sneered, "I've never seen Pike pull favors like these for anyone else."

McCoy took a step closer to the admiral and stared him in the eye. "Let me tell you something, mister. If I ever catch you speaking to Jim about anything other than academics or looking at her anywhere other than her eyes, your ass is mine. I can promise you that. Good evening, admiral."

Bones left the admiral dumbfounded at the table and caught up to Jim at the door. "I got some whiskey at the dorm. Care for a drink?"

Jim smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

A/N 2.0: I realized I forgot to put any sort of description as to what they'd wear to a banquet. For me, it's not official enough for dress uniforms. Go to my profile for pictures if you want :)


	6. Chapter 6

When the two reached their room, Jim headed straight for the couch and McCoy grabbed the bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He kicked off his shoes and sat beside her. "Now. You gonna tell me what that was all about?"

"Better make mine a double."

He loosened his tie. "That bad, huh?" Bones poured the drinks and handed a glass to his friend. Jim downed it and handed it back. He raised an eyebrow, but refilled the glass.

She took the drink and stared at it. They sat in silence for a long while until Jim was ready. "It's no secret who my dad is… was... how ever you want to say it. But that's beside the point." She took a sip. "Anyway, the admiral taught a class on Starfleet command history I had to take the first two semesters. There was a huge focus on the 'no-win scenario' Kelvin situation. Two weeks tearing apart everything that the Captain and my father did wrong, in his 'humble opinion'. Two weeks, Bones!" She stood up and began to pace. "He would single me out in class, ask me how I would have handled the situation. How the fuck should I know?! It's not like I was a first year cadet or anything!"

Bones watched in silence. Jim paced for a moment longer then collapsed on the couch again. "I got tired of it, so I set a meeting with him after I spoke with Pike about what's going on. I went to his office, and he tried… he came…"

McCoy put an arm around Jim's shoulders. "Take your time."

She grabbed her glass and downed it. "He came on to me. Strongly."

"Oh. Oh!"

"I'm not the same girl I was when I enlisted, Bones. I'm not. People like to use it as an excuse to hate me. Whatever. Screw 'em. But he forced me against the wall in his office. And when I shoved him away, he basically told me he knew what was going on between Pike and myself and if there was anything I wanted to change about my grade or participation in class, I knew what to do."

McCoy felt something in him snap, and he growled with a disturbing fury. "That bastard." He bent down and reached for his shoes.

"No! Bones, no. It's fine. Really. I never went back to his office and sat in the back of the class for the rest of the semester. I've avoided taking any of his classes. It's fine."

McCoy's jaw dropped. "F-fine? It's fine? THE HELL IT IS! Jim, this man tried to assault you, and you think that because you don't have to take his class, it's fine?" he roared. "He still terrifies you, Jim!"

Jim's eyes pleaded for him to drop the subject. "Ok. Ok!" He leaned back against the couch with a sigh. "I won't do anything." Jim sighed in relief. "Yet. I won't do anything yet. But I want you to talk to Pike about this."

"What do you think I did, Bones? Just sat around and let this happen? I did speak to Pike. He went through all the channels. Lot of good that did." Her eyes began to water.

McCoy pulled her close to him. He quietly stroked her hair as she released three years of tension into massive sobs. He murmured nonsense noises. He had lost track of time by the time she stopped crying. "Jim?" he whispered. No response. "Jim?" A snore. Bones chuckled. "Of course you're sleeping. You ruin my shirt and just fall asleep." He took his arm that wasn't cradling her back and scooped up her knees. Slowly, he stood up and carried her to her bed. He laid her down on the bed, careful not to disturb her, and pulled the covers up. Satisfied that she was fully asleep, he bent down and kissed her head, brushing her hair out of her face. "G'night, Jim."

When Jim woke up the next morning, it took her a moment to realize that she was in her room. Fully clothed. Strange, the last thing she remembered was talking to Bones on the couch. Shit, she thought. Things were going to be awkward for a while. Jim heard the clanking of dishes in the living area, and decided to shower and put last night's events out of her mind. A fresh start to a fresh new day.

She took her time in the shower, nearing the end of the hot water when she finally stepped out. She pulled her hair into a bun. Dressing in an old sweatshirt and jeans, she took a deep relaxing breath and opened her door. Bones was in the kitchenette with his back turned towards her, cooking eggs and bacon. Jim went to the counter quietly and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"I was wondering when you were going to pull yourself outta bed," Bones said without turning to her.

"Shut up. It's called the weekend. Not everyone gets up with the roosters like you, Bones."

He laughed. "It's almost ready. Grab a plate."

She complied and he filled her plate with breakfast. He filled his plate with the rest. They both sat down on the couch, and McCoy took a sip of coffee. They ate in silence and neither of them moved to speak when the food was gone, until McCoy got a good glance at Jim's apparel.

"Is that my shirt?"

Jim looked down at the sweatshirt. "Umm, no. Why?"

"Because it says 'Ole Miss' on it?" Bones raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. It must've gotten mixed in with my stuff. Want it back?" She made to get up.

"No, no. It's fine. I wondered where that got to. What else of mine have you stolen?"

Jim blanched. "I didn't steal it!"

Bones quickly hushed her. "I'm kidding, Jim. What's with you?"

She pulled at the sleeves of the shirt. "Nothing."

He sighed and nudged her shoulder with his. "If this is about last night, it's…fine. I'll drop it. But if he says anything to you again, you tell me. Deal?" She looked everywhere in the room but at him. McCoy got up from the couch and knelt in front of her. "Deal?" he said sternly, forcing eye contact.

"Deal! Deal, alright?" Jim hesitated for a moment, then said, "Thank you." Bones shot her a confused glance. "For not asking if there was anything going on between me and Pike."

He nodded, then ran a hand over his hair. "Dammit, Jim. Do you really think I'd think that?"

She shrugged. "People think what they want to think. I couldn't really care less."

"Obviously."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

He pushed up from his crouch and walked towards the window. It was a while before he spoke. "Jim, if you didn't care what people thought, you wouldn't be this upset over a stupid admiral's snide comments. You put on a good act, but I know you."

Jim was silent. Was she really that transparent? If so, that would mean that there would be no more than friendship between them. Ever. He'd certainly seen how she felt about him, and since he'd never reciprocated… She shut that line of thinking down quick. Jim composed herself and asked what he meant.

"You…work people, ya know? Take last night for instance. You immediately sized up the room and could chit chat with doctors and admirals and their spouses. Any topic, you had an opinion. And then there's the other side of you, that the cadets see. Overachieving, full of yourself, and good in bed. You let them think this because it makes them feel better, but I've seen you when someone like Escobar digs in a little too deep. It cuts you like a knife."

She snorted. "Well, Bones, when did you become so philosophical?"

"When I realized you were short selling yourself."

She stood up. "Well how's this for selling myself right? I'm retaking the Kobyashi Maru."

Bones blinked in surprise. "Again?"

"Yep. Be my navigator?"

"Jim, the test's unbeatable. No one ever passes. Why are you taking it again?"

"Because I can? And there's no rules against it? Bones, I'm going to beat this test."

McCoy side eyed her, wondering if he was hearing her right. "What?"

She smirked. "I'm going to make a name for myself, aside from being the great George Kirk's daughter. Beating the test will do that. I won't be living in a shadow. Will you be there with me?"

They stared at each other for a long time. Finally, "Dammit Jim." She just smiled wider.


	7. Chapter 7

The test was set for the next week. Pike and Bones both had cautioned her against it, but Jim was determined. She would pass the Kobyashi Maru. She spent countless hours in the campus library preparing, looking at old captain's logs and watching reenactment videos.

On the day of the Kobyashi Maru, Jim and McCoy woke early, dressing in their grey simulation uniforms. He kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, taking in every detail to look for signs of nerves.

"Bones, you give me that Southern side eye one more time, I may have to punch you."

Bones froze. Guess he wasn't so subtle after all. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "How you doing?"

Jim adjusted the collar in the mirror. She turned and looked at him and curtly replied, "I'm fine."

He dropped the subject. He'd never get a straight answer out of her. They locked their rooms and headed to the test center.

A mock bridge was set up, overlooked by large glass mirrors. Behind these the adjudicators for the test observed. Two humans and a man with the pointed ears indicative of a Vulcan stood commenting on the absurdity of a cadet making a second attempt at the test.

"She's gotta be up to something. Didn't Pike explain to her that it's unwinnable?" one man laughed.

The Vulcan merely looked down at the bridge set up, observing the cadets preparing it for the exam. "What importance is it? It is logical that a second attempt would lead to better results."

The woman scoffed. "Well then, Mr. Spock. Wouldn't it be more logical to heed the advice of your advisor and everyone else? Take a look at the track record of the test."

Spock turned to her, hands behind his back. "It is illogical that everyone would know about this test as it is only for the Academy, but your point is valid." He resumed his observation of the set below. The male hid a smile at the woman's obvious discomfort.

The students that made up the bridge crew slowly entered and sat at their stations. One of the cadets, Uhura at the communications seat, was employed as a class aid for him. Spock noticed her eyes flick from her station to the mirrors above her and back. He did not smile, but a close observer would have noticed his eyes warm slightly.

Cadet Kirk and the "helmsman" walked in together. He saw the male cadet grab Kirk's shoulders and force her to look at him. They exchanged a few words and he nudged her on the shoulder, moving to take his seat at the helm. Fascinating. Kirk exhaled and rolled her shoulders and, after checking that each position was filled, sat in the Captain's chair. The test began.

"Captain," Cadet Uhura said. "We've received a distress call from the Kobyashi Maru. They've had an engine malfunction and request assistance."

"What's their location?"

"They've drifted into the neutral zone," the helmsman stated.

"Scan the surrounding area."

"Sir, any breach of the neutral zone would break the treaty."

"Noted. Scan the area."

The helmsman pressed buttons on his screen. "Negative, sir. No ships in the area."

Cadet Uhura turned from her station to face Kirk. "Sir, they're losing power. Estimated thirty minutes of life support left."

Kirk rubbed her forehead. "Get us as close to the neutral zone as possible. Would that be close enough to use the tractor beam?"

Helmsman shook his head. "Negative. At the rate they're drifting, our only option would be to beam over or use shuttles." He plotted a course. "Arrival at the neutral zone in three minutes."

"Alert medical and engineering. We may need to send people over."

"We're at the neutral zone, sir."

An alarm sounded. "Sir, we're picking up a major surge in energy," cried the weapons station.

"Red Alert! Uhura, send out a transmission on all channels. This is Captain James Kirk of the USS Felton. We are on a rescue mission to assist a stranded Federation ship. Repeat, we are on a rescue mission."

"Two Klingon warbirds have decloaked. They're surrounding the Maru and are locking weapons on us."

"Uhura, hail them! Shields up!"

"Yes sir!" A moment passed. "They're not responding."

"Keep trying. McCoy, we haven't crossed into the neutral zone, have we?"

The cadet at the helm said, "No sir."

Kirk's face pinched. She rubbed a hand over her head. A second alarm sounded and her head shot up. "What is it?"

The weapons station turned. "Sir they're firing on us."

"Uhura!"

"Sir, they're not responding."

The bridge rocked as the "ship" was hit by photon torpedoes. A cadet yelled that decks four through six were heavily damaged. Kirk ordered a return of fire. "Be careful not to hit the Maru. Divert as much power as possible to the shields. Uhura, how much time left on life support?"

"Ten minutes, sir."

Kirk glanced at the mirrors. The ship rocked again as they were hit. "Shields at 12%. Another hit and we'll be done," the cadet at the weapons station said.

"Shit." She paused, thinking. "Are we close enough to beam their crew over?"

"It would take too long sir," McCoy said. Our transporters can only move three at a time. The Maru has a crew of sixty."

"Sir, we're being hailed!"

"Onscreen. This is Captain James T Kirk of the USS Felton. You have violated the treaty by firing on a Federation ship in Federation territory on a rescue mission. Cease fire and we can discuss terms."

An instructor dressed as a Klingon appeared on the screen. "This is Kogar, commander of K'Ratak. Your fellow ship broke the treaty line first. Surrender or die."

"They didn't breach the treaty, Commander! The ship malfunctioned and if you do not allow me to aid them, they will die in five minutes."

The Klingon sneered. "Let them die."

Kirk straightened her posture. "You leave me no choice, Commander. End transmission." She turned to her weapons station. "Fire everything."

"Yes sir." A barage of torpedoes launched themselves at the Klingon warbirds. At the same time, the Klingon ship K'Ratak fired a single torpedo at the Kobyashi Maru. The ship erupted into flames, the hull exploding in several places.

Uhura pulled the earpiece from her ear. "Sir, I've lost contact with the Kobyashi Maru and can find no life signs."

Kirk nodded and watched the screen as the Klingon ships turned and cloaked. The machines powered down and the fluorescent overhead lights brightened.

Spock turned to the other adjudicators. "Any comments?"

The man and woman looked at each other. The man spoke up. "I'll speak with Cadet Kirk."

McCoy turned from his station and looked at Jim. She had her hands clasped in her lap and her eyes were closed. Hearing footsteps, he turned his attention towards the adjudicator. He nodded at the man and stood up. "Jim? I'll be outside." Jim made no notice she'd heard him, and he vacated the room.

He paced outside the room. Five minutes passed until Jim exited the room. McCoy went to her side, unsure as to how to comfort her. "Bones, I don't want to talk about it. Can we just go?"

He sighed. "Yeah, Jim. Let's go."

They walked back to their rooms in silence. Jim kept replaying the scenario over and over in her head. McCoy knew the toll it was taking on her. She was sullen and withdrawn when they reached their room and if this followed the same path as her other fits, like those around her birthday, he'd be getting a phone call at 4 in the morning from a bar downtown.

They sat in the living area for an hour, neither of them saying a word. Jim avoided eye contact and Bones pondered what to say to her. When he was finally ready to approach the subject, Jim stood and declared she was going out.

True to form, Bones was roused by a call from an unknown number. Strange, Glass's was saved to his contacts for just this reason. He rubbed a hand over his face and hit the answer button. He yawned, "McCoy here."

A woman's voice answered. "Doctor McCoy?"

He sat up in bed. "Yeah. Who's this?"

"My name's Gaila. We met a while back, through Jim?"

"Right right. What's going on?"

There was a shuffling on the other end. He got up and began dressing as the young woman spoke. "Jim's in the emergency room. She got in a fight and broke her arm. She's also drank herself into a blackout. I've never seen her like this."

"Shit. Which hospital?"

"St. Francis."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Can you stay until I get there?"

"Of course. They're taking her back, I have to go. Gaila out."

McCoy ran from the dorm. He found a street and hailed a cab. "St. Francis, as fast as possible."

He reached the hospital in under ten minutes. On his way there he received a call from a nurse at St. Francis. Apparently, Jim had put him as her emergency contact at some point. He went to the desk and asked for Jim. The night receptionist gave him her room number. McCoy thanked her.

Gaila sat at Jim's bedside chewing on her nails. He knocked on the door and she stood. "Doctor. I didn't know who else to call."

He entered the room and took the seat beside her. "It's fine. She's got me as her emergency contact anyways." Gaila raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing. "Go home, Gaila. I'll stay with her."

She nodded and placed a kiss on Jim's hand. Then she was gone.

Bones rubbed a hand over his head. "Oh Jim," he whispered. "Why do you do this to yourself? I'll never understand you."

Jim stirred. A groan escaped her and she tried to open her eyes but the lights were too bright. "Bones?"

He scooted closer to the bed and took her hand in his. "I'm here."

"What happened?"

He huffed out a small laugh. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

She tried to sit but he pushed her back down. She scowled. "I don't know. Last thing I remember was drinking with Gaila and some guy came up and started getting rough. From there I don't know. Is my- Is my arm broken?!"

"Yeah, broken. Looking at your scan it's a clean break which is lucky. Gaila called me thirty minutes ago saying you were in the emergency room and that you'd blacked out from drinking too much. I got a call soon after from the hospital. When were you going to tell me I was your emergency contact? Why not your mother?"

Jim froze. "Soon? It made more sense, you being here and her being gone all the time. And you know we're not close."

"True." He sighed and laid his head on the bed. "Jim, this has gotta stop."

"What?"

"Your drinking. You're going to kill yourself doing this."

Jim scoffed. "Like you're one to talk." She winced. "Sorry. Sorry. That was uncalled for."

McCoy raised his head and looked her dead in the eye. "Medical opinion? You're on a fast track to needing a liver replacement or worse, brain damage. Personal opinion? You're beating yourself up over things that aren't your control." She started to speak and he cut her off. "So you failed the Kobyashi Maru. Jim, EVERYONE fails the Kobyashi Maru. And no, not everyone has a famous martyr of a father. But none of that is your fault."

Jim was silent. She felt small under his intense gaze. "You going to say something?" he asked.

"No." She whispered.

"Why?"

She threw her hands up in the air. "Because you're right? Is that what you want to hear, Bones? Alright!" She sighed. "Alright."

He reached up and cupped her cheek. "Atta girl. Promise me you'll stop drinking like this?"

"I'll try?"

He smiled. "It's a start."

"Your bedside manner needs some work."

He laughed. "So I've been told."

The doctor entered and did a few tests on Jim. He wanted to keep her under observation for the night, but saw no reason to keep her longer than that. As McCoy was a doctor, he was allowed to stay the night despite visiting hours.


	8. Chapter 8

Two weeks after Jim's failed second attempt at the Kobyashi Maru, McCoy and Kirk packed for their biannual visit to Georgia. Since their first trip over winter break in their first year, the two had traveled to visit Bones' mother for her birthday during the summer and the week after finals in the winter. Jim relished the vacation from the stresses of the Academy and, for slightly more selfish reasons, the feeling of being at home for once in her life.

Ellen picked them up at from the shuttle and drove them back to the McCoy residence where she had dinner ready and waiting. Bones took their bags to their rooms upstairs while Jim helped Mrs. McCoy set the table.

"I thought Joanna was supposed to be here," Jim asked while placing forks on the table.

Ellen pulled a chicken out of the oven. "She was," she said, pulling back the foil to check it. "But Jocelyn and Clay wanted to take her to an art exhibit in Atlanta."

"Oh. An art exhibit? For a seven year old?"

Ellen just shrugged her shoulders. "They should be dropping her off sometime tomorrow."

When Bones came back down, they sat at the table and ate. Ellen noticed a bit of tenseness between the two, but didn't approach the subject. Bones brought his mother as up to date as possible on things at the clinic and the Academy but carefully omitted much of the last two weeks for which Jim was thankful.

Towards the end of the meal, Ellen decided to test the waters a bit. "So, Jim, anyone special in your life, besides my son that is?"

Jim blushed slightly. "No ma'am. And Bones is…well Bones is family, so I- I don't think he counts the way you're meaning, Ellen."

"No? No steady men? Or women?" She ignored the glare her son was giving her.

Jim laughed awkwardly. "Not at the moment, no." She stuffed her mouth with mashed potatoes to avoid answering anymore questions.

Ellen turned her attention to her son. "What about you, Leonard? Any special someone you haven't told me about?"

Bones choked on his tea. "No, Ma. No one."

"What about that nice young lady you were telling me about, you were going to take her to your dinner banquet?"

"She's engaged, remember? Besides, we didn't end up even going together anyway. Something came up."

Ellen glanced at Jim out of the corner of her eye and nodded. "Ah."

Jim stood from the table and took her plate to the sink. "I think I'm going to turn in. That flight took a lot out of me."

Bones stood as well. "Me too. Goodnight, Ma. Jim."

After breakfast, Ellen and Leonard decided a trip to the store was necessary. (Bones forgot his toothbrush). Jim declined to go with them. She instead cleared the table, put on Ellen's apron, and set about washing dishes.

She filled the sink with hot water and soap and put the dishes in to soak. She rummaged in the drawers, looking for a dish cloth. "Aha! There you are," she thought. Jim carefully cleaned the plates first, scrubbing off jam and butter, and had just finished with those when the front door opened. "They must have forgotten something," she mused, going about her duty. Needless to say, she was a little startled when a woman walked into the kitchen.

"Ellen?" the woman called. "We're here to drop off Joanna. Ellen?" She rounded the corner into the kitchen. She was a short brunette, with a piercing gaze and dressed in a pantsuit. Joanna McCoy came in behind her.

Jim turned around, almost dropping the plate she was rinsing. "Hi. Can I help you with something?"

The woman raised her eyebrows and looked Jim over. "Who are you?" she asked snidely. "Where's Mrs. McCoy?"

Jim set the plate in the dish rack. "You just missed her. The doctor and Mrs. McCoy went to the store. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, thank you. We were just coming by to drop off her granddaughter."

"Oh! You must be Mrs. Tredway," Jim exclaimed with a bright smile. She wiped off her hands and extended one for a handshake which the woman took gingerly. "I'm Jim Kirk."

"Jim?"

"It's a long story. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No thank you. How much longer are they going to be?"

Jim shrugged. "They didn't need much, so it shouldn't be long."

Mrs. Tredway sat at the table. "Do you mind us waiting until Mrs. McCoy returns?"

"Please. Do you mind if I continue?" She turned back to the dishes.

Joanna plopped herself in the seat across from her mother. She fixed Jim with a grin. "Why do you have a boy's name?"

"Joanna! Remember your manners. You don't speak until spoke to!" her mother chided a little too forcefully for Jim's liking.

"It's quite alright."

"No, it's not. Joanna, you know better."

Jim was taken aback. She grinned and turned to the child. "Joanna, you want to know why I have a boy's name?" Joanna nodded slowly. Jim scrubbed a coffee cup and rinsed it, ignoring the sound of indignation that came from Jocelyn. "My parents served in Starfleet. Unfortunate circumstances, my father assumed command of an attacked ship and evacuated everyone else, including my mother who was going through labor. He ordered the medical shuttle to leave. My mother, knowing he'd never see me decided to give him his wish of a son. They named me after their fathers. James Tiberius, after my maternal and paternal grandfathers respectively." Jim inhaled sharply and turned with a smile towards Joanna. "My brother, George, called me Jim because he had a slight lisp as a child and it stuck."

Joanna looked at Jim quizzically. "Did you get teased?"

"For a while. But then I found an old song by a twentieth century singer about a boy named Sue. After that, I didn't let it bother me. And when they saw that it didn't bother me, they stopped messing with me."

"Oh."

"Want to help me finish the dishes?"

"Sure!" Joanna hopped out of her chair and grabbed a towel. "You wash, I'll dry!"

Jim mock saluted her. "Yes sir!"

Joanna giggled. "Jim! I'm a girl!"

"Doesn't matter. All officers are addressed as sir." At Joanna's look, she shrugged. "Don't ask me. I didn't make the rules."

Jocelyn was silent for a long time and the only sounds were the clinks of the dishes as Jim and Joanna finished. She observed Jim with a critical eye. "I didn't realize that Ellen had hired someone to help around the house."

"I'm not a house keeper. I'm a guest of Ellen's."

"Oh? How do you know Ellen?"

From Jocelyn's tone, Jim thought it best to keep it simple. "Friend of the family."

"Hmm. How long have you known her?"

"A few years. With all due respect, Mrs. Tredway, what's with the third degree?"

"Forgive me for trying to get to know the woman that will be staying in the house that my daughter is."

Jim untied her apron and slipped it over her head. "You're forgiven."

McCoy and Ellen entered the front door and came into the kitchen, saving Jim from Jocelyn's hostile retort. Joanna cried out joyfully and ran into her father's arms.

"Hey baby girl! I've missed you!"

"I've missed you more!"

He ruffled the hair on her head. "I doubt that. Jocelyn." He stood up.

Jocelyn stood up and said coldly, "Leonard, I need to speak with you."

McCoy motioned to the kitchen door and let Jocelyn walk through it first. Ellen looked at Jim and mouthed "What happened?"

Jim shrugged. "She doesn't approve of me, I think."

Ellen sighed. She turned her attention towards her granddaughter who regaled her with stories of school and vacations. Ellen oohed and ahhed at all the appropriate times.

In the living room, McCoy waited for Jocelyn to speak. She was silent for a while, pacing the living room floor while he sat on the arm of a chair.

"If I'd known you were going to be bringing someone with you, Ellen and I would have arranged for another week," she said finally.

McCoy exhaled slowly. "We're not together, Jocelyn."

She snorted. "Oh really, so you bring just anyone home to meet our daughter?" She turned to face him.

"No, Joss. She's… well, she's my roommate. Got assigned to me the first day. I've been stuck with her ever since."

"Stuck?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, stuck. She never really had a place to go, no home life to speak of. Bad childhood. I brought her home for Ma's birthday one time when I realized she never left the dorm during any break. Ma loved her, has given her a home really." Behind the kitchen door, Jim smiled.

Jocelyn smiled at McCoy. "Doesn't hurt that she's pretty too."

"Beautiful. But we're just friends." Behind the door, Jim's smile fell. In the living room, Bones looked at Jocelyn. "Oh, now don't tell me. You're jealous. That's rich."

Jocelyn's smile fell. "Absolutely not. I'm a happily married woman. I'm only concerned about my daughter's wellbeing."

McCoy let out a huge belly laugh. Jocelyn fumed and stamped her foot. "Leonard McCoy, I hate you." She called a farewell to Joanna and Ellen and stormed out the door.

Jim came from the kitchen as McCoy wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. She eyed him warily, as if looking at an insane person. "Are you okay?"

McCoy slowly calmed down, letting out one final chuckle. He put an arm over her shoulders. "Jim girl, I've never been better." He turned his head towards the kitchen and called, "Who wants ice cream?"

They were both knocked over by an enthusiastic eight year old.

The next day the foursome went horseback riding across the McCoy farm and had a picnic lunch under a giant oak tree. Ellen told Jim and Joanna several stories about her son as a child, how he would climb trees and hide in the barn for hours on end. One story ended with Bones falling from a tree and breaking his arm.

"David and I rushed him to the emergency room, and Leonard took it all very bravely. He didn't cry or anything. When the doctor came in, he pestered him with questions. What are you doing? Why? What's that for? How does it work? Just absolutely fascinated with everything. He listened to the doctor with wide eyes and a thirst for knowledge. David and I just knew that when we got home, Len's new favorite game would be 'Doctor'. And it was." She turned to her son. "You even gave the cat a cast with paper mache. Do you remember that?"

Bones' blush made it obvious he did. Jim roared with laughter.

Ellen turned to Jim. "Did you ever break any bones as a child?"

Jim's face turned cloudy, and McCoy shushed his mother gently. "I did. I'm going to take a walk, if you'll excuse me." She pushed up from the blanket and walked towards a fence."

Joanna looked from her father to her grandmother, confused as to what was going on. Mother and son whispered back and forth between each other.

"I didn't know! You never said it was physical!"

"Well I didn't exactly think you were going to bring it up, now did I?"

Joanna got up from the ground and walked to Jim. Jim was standing at the fence watching the horses graze silently. She felt a small hand grab hers.

"I love horses," the girl said.

"Me too, Jo."

"Why are you said, Aunt Jim?"

Jim looked at their hands, at a loss for words. Her eyes began to water. "Sometimes the past hurts, Jo."

"Then why think about it?"

Jim laughed sadly. "Because sometimes we don't have a choice."

Joanna leaned into Jim's side. They were quiet for a while. Finally Joanna looked up at Jim. Jim sniffled a bit, blinking back the tears that refused to fall. "What, Jo?"

"We won't hurt you."

The tears threatened to fall again. She bent down and wrapped Joanna in her arms. "I know, Jo. I know." The hug lasted for a long time until Jim felt steady enough to rejoin the meal. She stood up and wiped her eyes. "Let's go back, huh?" She held out her hand, which Joanna took with a smile.

McCoy looked up from packing the blanket. He met her eyes and she gave him a small nod. Ellen packed the basket and handed it to her son. He attached it to his horse, and the group rode back to the house. When the horses were put away, Jim gave Ellen a tight hug which was returned with equal enthusiasm.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Now we're getting into the movie action. I'm trying my best to keep the dialogue as close to the movie as possible, which is SUPER hard. I'm having to watch and rewatch and rewatch scenes for dialogue, so obviously, anything you see (ESPECIALLY dialogue) is not mine. I make no claim. Don't shoot me!

The transition into the next semester went smoothly. Almost smoothly. Jim became more reckless in her personal life. She began spending more night hours with Gaila, an Engineering cadet her age. She still ate lunches with McCoy, but most nights were spent at Gaila's, to the fascination of McCoy and the irritation of Cadet Uhura, Gaila's roommate. Jim never brought Gaila to their room, however, which made Bones curious- to a point. There were some things he knew he was better off not knowing.

One day, about halfway through the semester, Bones knew that Jim had completely lost it. They were leaving their one class together, and as they were going down the stairs outside the building, she said it.

"I'm taking the test again."

"What?" he growled.

"I'm taking the test again. Tomorrow. I want you there."

"No, Jim. I've got better things to do than watch you make a fool outta yourself."

Jim turned to greet a couple of cadets then stopped in front of McCoy. "Bones, it doesn't bother you that no one's passed the test?"

McCoy sighed. "Jim, it's the Kobyashi Maru. Nobody passes the test. And no one goes back for seconds, let alone thirds." He stared at Jim, hoping to push her into some common sense.

Jim just smiled and slapped him on the shoulder. "I gotta study," she said as she left.

McCoy glowered and muttered, "Study my ass."

The next morning at the test, Uhura was frosty at best towards Jim. McCoy had heard she'd banned Gaila from bringing anyone back to the room, and this only confirmed his suspicions as to where Jim had been all night.

"We're receiving a distress signal from the USS Kobyashi Maru," Uhura said with a roll of her eyes. "Their ship has lost power and they're stranded. Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them."

Jim rubbed a smudge off her apple. 'Seriously, who brings an apple to the test?' McCoy thought.

"Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them…Captain," Jim said spinning in her chair. McCoy rolled his eyes.

An alarm sounded in the background. "Two Klingon vessels have entered the Neutral Zone and are locking weapons on us," Bones stated, reading his screen.

"That's ok." McCoy could hear the grin. He spun in his chair.

"That's ok?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

McCoy received a new readout on his screen. "Three more Klingon warbirds decloaking and targeting our ship. I suppose this is a problem either?"

Cadet Lucas at the weapons station next to him announced that the Klingons were firing.

Jim ignored him and turned to Uhura. "Alert Medical to prepare to receive all members of the stranded ship."

Uhura scoffed and crossed her arms. "And how do you expect us to rescue them while we're still surrounded by Klingons, Captain?" she sneered.

Jim leaned over in the chair and said firmly, "Alert Medical."

The Red Alert siren went off. McCoy pressed his screen. "Our ship's being hit. Shields at 60%."

"I understand."

"Shouldn't we, I don't know, fire back?" he asked, seriously questioning Jim's sanity.

She took a bite of her apple. "Nah."

McCoy raised an eyebrow. "Of course not."

Suddenly the screens flickered and went off. The sirens fell silent and the lights went to minimum. And as silence fell, everything came back on.

"Hmm," Jim said thoughtfully. She turned to weapons. "Arm photon torpedoes and prepare to fire on the Klingon war birds."

"Jim!" McCoy exclaimed, looking at Jim. "Their shields are still up!"

"Are they?" She took another bite of the apple.

McCoy turned back to his screen. He pressed a button. "No. No, they're not." He turned back to Jim.

"Fire on all enemy ships!" She turned to Lucas. "One photon each should do. Let's not waste ammunition."

Lucas shook his head in amazement. "Yes sir! Target locked and acquired on all warbirds. Firing." There was a pause and everyone turned to look at the view screen. "All ships destroyed, Captain."

Jim grinned. "Begin rescue of the stranded crew." She stood from her chair. "So, we've managed to eliminate all enemy ships, no one on board was injured," she said, slapping McCoy on the shoulder, "and the successful rescue of the Kobyashi Maru crew is underway." She sighed and took one last bite of her apple. Jim cocked her him and stared up at the mirror hiding the adjudicators.

Behind the glass, a human male turned to Commander Spock. "How in the hell did that kid beat your test?"

Spock's face was emotionless, but he raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I do not know."

Later that evening, Bones and Jim both received notifications that there was to be a hearing in the auditorium at 0900 hours the next morning. Attendance was required for all cadets. Jim didn't comment, but he could see the smug look on her face. She was the first person to beat the test, and he was damned if he wasn't a bit worried about how she went about it. Try as he might, she wouldn't say.

The next morning, they dressed in their cadet reds and made their way to the auditorium, finding seats four rows from the floor. The admirals that governed the Academy all filed in, with Admiral Barnett, the Academy Head, in the center.

Barnett cleared his throat. "This hearing has been convened to discuss a troubling matter. Cadet Kirk please come forward."

McCoy stiffened beside her. Jim stood slowly, straightened her uniform, and made her way to a podium on the floor.

"Cadet Kirk," the admiral continued, "evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the Ethical Code of Conduct pursuant to Regulation 17.43 of the Starfleet Code. Is there anything you wish to say before we begin, Cadet?"

Jim swallowed. "Yes. I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly?"

He heard rustling behind him, and turned to see a Vulcan standing and heading to the floor. Barnett called him forward. "This is Commander Spock, he is one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobyashi Maru exam for the last four years. Commander?"

Spock and Jim stared at each other for a moment. Then he began to speak. "Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code thereby changing the conditions of the test."

Jim locked her hands behind her back. "Your point being?"

Barnett interjected. "In academic vernacular, you cheated." The room began to chatter.

Jim searched for words. "Let me ask you something, I think we all know the answer to. The test itself is a cheat, is it not? I mean, you've programmed it to be unwinnable."

The Vulcan did not flinch. "Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario."

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios."

"Then not only did you violate the rules, you failed to understand the principal lesson."

Jim's posture shifted into attack mode. This was not going well. "Please, enlighten me."

"You of all people, Cadet Kirk, should know that a Captain cannot cheat death."

The room fell silent, and Jim chuckled derisively. "I of all people," she scoffed.

The Vulcan straightened even more, which McCoy hadn't thought possible. "Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel before being killed in battle, did he not?"

Jim interrupted him. "I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test."

The Vulcan wasn't backing down. "Further more, you have failed to divine the purpose of the test-"

"Enlighten me again," she sneered.

"The purpose is to experience fear." Spock paused. "Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is a quality expected of every Starfleet Captain."

Jim said nothing. She stared at the podium in front of her, gripping it as if it were a lifeline. McCoy looked on from the audience with concern. She never fared well after her father was mentioned. A chime sounded and a lieutenant walked up and handed a PADD to Admiral Barnett.

"We've received a distress call from Vulcan," Barnett began. Spock listened intently. "With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian System, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hanger 1 immediately. Dismissed."

McCoy made his way down to Jim and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She followed Spock with her eyes. "Who was that pointy-eared bastard?" she muttered.

"I don't know," he replied nonchalantly, hoping to get her mind off of her father. "But I like him. Come on."

They followed the stream of cadets to the hanger, and stood with their assigned group receiving ships assignments. When they reached McCoy's name, she knew something was wrong.

"Commander, you didn't call my name. Kirk, James T."

The commander continued working. "Kirk, you're on academic suspension until the Academy Board rules. You're grounded." He turned and left Jim standing in shock.

McCoy walked up to her. "Jim, the board will rule in your favor…"he paused. "Most likely."

Jim looked at her feet and McCoy looked to some higher power for help. He sighed. "Look, Jim, I gotta go."

Jim straightened her shoulders and turned to look Bones in the eye. She stuck out her hand for a firm handshake, trying to be as supportive as she could be. "Yeah, you go. Be safe." His hand tightened on hers and Jim threw her arms around him, pulling him into a grounding hug. This may be the last time she would ever see her best friend, the man she… She shook her head, not allowing herself that thought. McCoy turned and walked towards his shuttle with a nod.

Of all the cadets, he thought, she should be the one there. Not him. She was made for this, while he was just a doctor, not a soldier. His combat instructor would affirm that. He was about ten meters away from the shuttle when a thought hit him. He turned and saw her standing in the same place he'd left her. 'God dammit,' he thought.

McCoy turned and walked briskly towards Jim, grabbing her arm and instructing her to follow him. He dragged her into a cargo hold for medical supplies. Forcing her into a chair, McCoy went to a cabinet and pulled out a hypospray. When she asked for a tenth time what he was doing, he said, "I'm doing you a favor. Couldn't just leave you there looking all pathetic."

Jim eyed the hypospray hesitantly.

"Let me give you an injection of the vaccine against the viral infection from Melvaran mud fleas." He jammed the hypo into her neck.

"OW-what for?"

"To give you the symptoms. You're going to start to lose the vision in your left eye."

Jim blinked hard. "Yeah, I already have. What'd you do to me?"

"You're going to get a really bad headache," he stated as Jim held her head in her hands. He caught her as she tried to stand. "And flopsweat," he added.

Jim groaned. "You call this a favor?"

"Yeah, you owe me one." He pulled Jim through a crowd of cadets back towards the Enterprise's shuttle. An officer scanned them both.

"Kirk, James T." He looked at his PADD. "She's not cleared for duty aboard the Enterprise."

McCoy bore down on the shorter man. "Medical code says the transport and treatment of a patient is at the discretion of his attending physician, which is me." He adjusted his hold on Jim's arm. So I'm taking Cadet Kirk aboard. Or would you like to explain to Captain Pike why the Enterprise warped into a crisis without one of its senior medical officers?" He glared at the officer with a raised eyebrow. If Jim hadn't been focused on not throwing up everything she'd ate in the past three months, she'd have been proud.

The man pursed his lips. "As you were."

Bones looked him up and down. "As you were. Come on, Jim." He ushered her up the steps and helped her into a seat. He assisted her with the straps and she groaned.

"I may throw up on you," she said, reminding him of himself three years prior. McCoy took a moment to marvel at how things had changed since then.

The shuttle jolted its passengers as it lifted up. The Gilliam joined a long procession of shuttles, rising through the atmosphere, on their way to the space dock in orbit around Earth. When they breached the top of the atmosphere, the shuttle turned and allowed the cadets a view of their new home. The Enterprise. It took McCoy's breath away. He hit Jim with his left hand. "Jim, you gotta see this."

She leaned over, and all thoughts of illness flew away. The Enterprise was beautiful, highlighted perfectly against the black of space. The sun flared against the crisp white hull, and while she looked almost identical to the other ships beside her, something about the Enterprise called to Jim. This was meant to be.

The Gilliam pulled into the hangar bay and landed with another jolt. McCoy and Jim unfastened their belts and he helped her out of the shuttle. Jim's legs still weren't working properly and McCoy steered her through the crowd, swiftly avoiding the "pointy eared bastard".

Jim scrunched up her face. "I don't feel right, I feel like I'm leaking."

McCoy just patted her back. "Come on, we gotta get you changed."

They found a supply of unused uniforms, and McCoy thrust a black under uniform at her. After she'd changed in a small closet, he helped her to the Sick Bay. Leading her to a bed, Bones made her sit down and he prepared another hypospray.

"My mouth is itchy. Is that normal?" Jim whined.

God, sometime she was worse than Joanna when sick. "Those symptoms won't last long. I'm going to give you a mild sedative."

Jim groaned loudly, attracting the attention of several nurses. "I wish I didn't know you!"

"Don't be such an infant," Bones said with a shake of his head. He jammed the hypospray in her neck. If she only knew how much trouble he'd be in for doing this, she wouldn't be complaining. Then again, this was Jim.

Jim began to sway. "Ah! Ow. How long's this supp…" She fell back onto the bed.

McCoy rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable."

He left Jim on the bed and located his own Medical uniform. He swiftly changed and packed away his cadet reds. McCoy reported for duty with Dr. Puri, the Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise. A middle aged man with an English accent, Puri was a no nonsense sort of doctor, which McCoy appreciated. He went about his duties, organizing a quick inventory of supplies and getting his station in order. A Russian ensign made an announcement, stating the facts of their current mission. McCoy rolled his eyes, in slight disbelief that they'd have someone with such a strong accent giving shipwide announcements.

When he was finished, and at the same time the Russian kid finished the mission broadcast, he made his way back to Jim. Right on time, too, it would seem as Jim shot up with a gasp. "Lightening storm!"

"Ah, Jim, you're awake. How do you feel?" McCoy's eyes grew big. "Good God!"

Jim followed his eyes and saw that her hands had swollen to almost three times their normal size. She raised them and stared in shock. "Ah!" she screamed. "What the hell is this?"

"A reaction to the vaccine, dammit!" He ran to his station, calling for a large dose of Cortisone. Jim got up from her bed and went to the screen where the Ensign had broadcasted. She punched the screen clumsily and pulled up the message, replaying it. McCoy hurried back with a tricorder and scanned her body.

"Lightening storm," Jim repeated. She reached up and grabbed Bones by the face. "We gotta stop the ship!" She tore out of Sick Bay, McCoy hot on her heels.

"Jim!" he yelled, running after her. "I'm not kidding, we need to keep your heart rate down!" When Jim stopped at a console, he fumbled with a med kit. He found what he wanted, mumbling about her severe reaction. Jim ran away again. McCoy growled in frustration and ran after her. As soon as he caught up with her, he stabbed her with a hypo.

"STOP IT," Jim screeched.

Jim walked quickly down a corridor, past consoles and computer terminals, looking for Uhura. McCoy followed right behind, scanning her again.

Uhura was shocked to see Jim on the ship. "Kirk, what are you doing here? And, oh my God, what's wrong with your hands?"

Jim waved them to get her attention. "The transmission you intercepted from the Klingon prison planet the other night. What exactly did it say? Who is responsible for the attack and was the ship Robyulat?"

"Was the ship what?"

Jim turned to Bones. "Whaf habbenink do by mouf?"

McCoy grimaced. "You got numb tongue?"

"NUM TONK?"

McCoy ripped through his kit to find the correct hypo. "I can fix that!"

Jim turned back to Uhura and motioned at her mouth. "Waf da sip Rob-yul-mm?"

Uhura stared intently. "Romulan?" Jim nodded emphatically, and Uhura responded with an affirmative. The ship was Romulan. They were warping into a trap.

McCoy jabbed Jim with yet another hypospray. "OW! DAMMIT!"

Jim raced to the bridge, focused on bringing her conclusions to the Captain. Bones and Uhura raced after her, trying to stop her. They all ran onto the bridge.

"Captain Pike, we have to stop the ship!"

Pike stood up. "Kirk! How the hell did you get on board the Enterprise?"

McCoy reached for Jim's arm. "Sir, this woman is under the influence of a severe reaction to a vaccine. She's completely delusional and I take full responsibility."

Jim shrugged off his hand. "Bones! Vulcan isn't experiencing a natural disaster. It's being attacked. By Romulans."

"Romulans?! Cadet Kirk," Pike said firmly. "I believe you've had enough attention for one day. Dr. McCoy, take her back to medical, we'll have words later."

McCoy grabbed Jim. "Aye Captain."

She stepped out of reach. "That same anomaly-"

The Vulcan from the hearing stepped from behind a station. "Mr. Kirk is not cleared to be aboard this vessel-"

Jim spoke over him, "Look, I get it, you're a great arguer, I'd love to do it again."

"I can remove the cadet from the bridge."

"Try it! This cadet is trying to save the bridge," Jim shouted.

"By recommending a full stop mid-warp during a rescue mission?" Spock asked.

Jim ignored him and turned to Pike. "It's not a rescue mission. It's an attack."

"Based on what facts?"

"That same anomaly- a lightning storm in space- that we saw today also occurred on the day of my birth before a Romulan ship attacked the USS Kelvin." She turned her full attention to the Captain. "You know that sir, I read your dissertation." She looked at Spock. "That ship, which had formidable and advanced weaponry, was never seen or heard from again. The Kelvin attack took place on the edge of Klingon space and at 2300 hours last night there was an attack. Fourty-seven Klingon warbirds were destroyed by Romulans, sir. And it was reported that the Romulans were in one ship. One massive ship."

"And you know of this attack how?" Pike demanded.

Jim turned to Uhura, the first time her presence had been acknowledged. "I intercepted and translated the message myself, sir. Kirk's report is accurate."

"We're warping into a trap, sir. There are Romulans waiting for us, I promise you that."

Spock stared at Jim for a moment. Turning to Pike, he found her logic credible. "The cadet's logic is sound, and Lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics. We would be wise to accept her conclusion."

Pike sighed and turned to his communications officer. "Scan Vulcan space, check if any transmissions are being made in Romulan."

The man's eyes widened. "Sir, I'm not sure I could distinguish Romulan from Vulcan."

Pike looked to Uhura. "How about you? Do you speak Romulan, Cadet?"

She nodded. "Uhura, sir. All three dialects." He nodded at the comm officer and Uhura took his place.

Pike called for contact with another ship. He was notified that all the Federation ships had dropped from warp and that no Romulan transmissions could be found. No transmissions at all could be found.

"It's because they're being attacked," Jim stated firmly.

The bridge fell silent, and all eyes turned to the Captain. "Shields up. Red alert."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: SORRY AGAIN I'M A HORRIBLE PERSON. Here's a super long chapter to make up for my absence. Ugh, school again. Any dialogue or events you recognize are not mine. I just messed a little.

Jim looked back at Bones as the navigator announced the ship's arrival at Vulcan. There was a jolt as the ship fell out of warp, and multiple crashes as the ship hit what appeared to be all that was left of the other ships. Pike called for evasive maneuvers, and Sulu, the navigator, swung low to avoid the hull of a starship, but he was not quick enough. The Enterprise hit the hull and Jim was knocked back into McCoy's arms. He gave her arm a reassuring squeeze as he steadied her.

Those on the Bridge were stunned into silence when an enormous ship came into view. A massive ship, with spires and tentacle-like attachments, the Narada dwarfed the Enterprise.

"Captain! They're locking torpedoes!"

"Full reverse!" Pike ordered. "Come about Starboard ninety degrees. Drop us down underneath them and prepare to fire all weapons!"

The bridge rocked as the Enterprise was hit by the Narada's torpedoes. Sulu looked at his consol. "Shields at thirty-two percent. Their weapons are powerful, sir. We can't take another hit like that."

Pike turned to Uhura at communications. "Get me Starfleet Command."

"Captain, the Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high energy pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere," Spock noted, his voice calm despite the chaos around him. "Its signal appears to be blocking our communications and transporter abilities."

Pike's eyes darkened as he turned around. "All power to forward shields. Prepare to fire all weapons."

"Captain!" Uhura cried from her station. "We're being hailed." At Pike's go ahead, she switched the comm to the viewscreen.

A Romulan with tattoos covering his forehead appeared on the screen. He looked calm, and glanced over the entire bridge crew.

Pike stood. "This is Captain Christopher Pike, to whom am I speaking?"

The Romulan turned his attention to the Captain. "Hello, Christopher. I'm Nero."

Pike was a little taken aback by his nonchalant tone. "You have declared war against the Federation. Withdraw, and I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral loca-"

Nero cut him off. "I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart. As does your Vulcan crew member." His attention turned towards Spock. "Isn't that right, Spock?"

Spock stood slowly. "Pardon me. But I do not believe you and I are acquainted."

Nero chuckled under his breath. "No, we're not. Not yet. There's something I would like you to see." Turning back to Pike, he continued. "Your transporter capability is disabled. You will man a shuttle and come aboard the Narada for negotiations. That is all." The screen cleared, leaving a view of the debris field in the space surrounding Vulcan.

It was silent for a moment, until Jim spoke up. "He'll kill you, you know that."

Spock agreed. "Your survival is unlikely."

"Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake."

"I, too, suggest you rethink this strategy."

Pike took this information in silently. He looked at the crew. "I need officers who have been trained in hand-to-hand combat." Sulu's hand went up. "Come with me. Kirk, you too- you're not supposed to be here anyway. Radio the engine room," he told Chekov. "Have Chief Engineer Olsen meet us at Shuttle Bay Five."

"Aye, Keptin."

"Let's go."

Pike, along with Spock, Kirk, and Sulu, hurried to the Shuttle Bay. "Without transporters, we can't beam off the ship, meaning we can't assist Vulcan, can't do our job. I'm creating an opportunity: Mr. Kirk, Mr. Sulu, and Mr. Olsen will space-jump from the shuttle. You'll have chutes- you'll land on that machine they've lowered that's scrambling our gear. You'll get inside, disable it, then beam back to the ship. Mr. Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the ship. Once we have transport capability and communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet and report what the hell's happening here."

The two men and Jim nodded. Jim and Sulu shared a look of concern.

"If all else fails, fall back and rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian System. Kirk, I'm promoting you to First Officer."

Jim's mouth dropped open in shock. Spock looked as appalled as a Vulcan could. "Captain, please. I apologize, but the complexities of human pranks escape me."

Pike stopped and turned to him. "It's not a prank Spock. And I'm not the Captain. You are."

"Once we knock out that machine," Jim said, "Sir, what happens to you?"

"Well, I guess you'll have to come get me." Pike looked at Spock. "Careful with the ship, Spock, she's new."

When the Captain and Jim left the Bridge, McCoy went back to his post in Sick Bay, finding it in disarray. It had been one of the decks hit worst in the Narada's attack. He quickly set about triaging patients and clearing debris. A scream came from one of the nurses. Dr. Puri's body was found under a fallen beam, dead. A beeping sounded. He rolled up his sleeves and hit the button.

The Vulcan's voice came over. "Dr. Puri, report."

"It's McCoy. Dr. Puri was on Deck 6… he's dead."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Then you have just inherited his responsibility as Chief Medical Officer."

"Yeah," McCoy scoffed, "tell me something I don't know." He hit the button, ending the conversation, and went back to work.

Jim, Sulu, and the Engineer Olsen, sat in the back of the shuttle, suited in jump suits with retractable chutes. Olsen couldn't sit still, bragging about how he wanted to "kick some Romulan ass". Jim rolled her eyes. 'Men', she thought. She looked at Sulu and the calm façade he put forth. "So what kind of combat training do you have?" she asked.

Sulu glanced at her. "Fencing."

Jim's eyes grew large. A feeling of nerves grew in her stomach as the shuttle lifted out of the bay. This is what she trained and prepared for for three years. She could do this. The three put their helmets on.

Pike's voice came over the speakers in the back of the shuttle. "Pre-jump." The doors that separated the cabin from the holding area shut with a hiss, pressurizing the cabin from the outer doors opening. "Gentlemen, we're approaching the drop zone. You have one shot to land on that platform. They may have defenses, so pull your chute as late as possible." He counted down from three and released a lever turning off the gravity to the back of the shuttle. "Remember, the Enterprise won't be able to beam you back until you turn off that drill. Good luck." With that, the doors on the floor of the shuttle opened and the jumpers released their hold and began to fall towards the planet below. The only sounds were their breaths.

As they fell, they shouted their distances to the platform. The drill was round, maybe a thousand meters in diameter, with a fiery spout at the bottom that went straight to the surface of Vulcan. At two thousand meters to the platform, Kirk and Sulu pulled their chutes, but Olsen did not. Jim shouted at him to pull it, that it was getting too close for safety, but Olsen waited too long to pull his chute. At less than one thousand meters, he pulled the chute. The windy atmosphere was too unstable for the chute to release properly. Olsen was whipped onto the surface of the drill's platform. He rolled to the edge where his chute was again caught by the wind and Olsen was pulled into the fiery drill.

Jim landed on the platform first with a thud. The wind caught her chute and began to pull her towards the edge of the platform, sending her towards the same fate as Olsen. She fumbled for a hold, and finally found one on a grate. She beat her hand on the button that retracted her chute. She felt safe for a moment and then looked up to see a Romulan twice her size headed for her. Jim lept to her feet and pulled her helmet off. With a roar, she jumped for the Romulan's gun and in the struggle, shots were fired, punching holes in Sulu's parachute. The Romulan wrenched free of her, and she immediately pulled her phaser. The Romulan swung for her hand and her phaser was lost off the side of the drill.

As another Romulan appeared from the drill's innards, Jim used the only weapon she had (her helmet) to beat her opponent. He grabbed her shoulders and they began to wrestle, inching closer to the edge of the drill every second. The Romulan picked her up by the waist and flipped her over his shoulder. She hit the platform and rolled off the edge, barely holding on with her hands. He tried to stamp on her hands to kick her off, and managed to get loose her left hand, when a sword was thrust through his chest. Green blood dripped from the sword as it was pulled back out of his body and the Romulan fell off the platform. Sulu, who had landed apparently during Jim's fight, stood over the edge. He reached down and heaved Jim back onto the drill.

Realizing that their original plan to disarm the drill had died with Engineer Olsen, Kirk and Sulu picked up the guns the Romulans had abandoned and laid fire on the drill. The machine sputtered and flickered until it finally stopped working. They watched as the Romulan ship launched an object into the hole in Vulcan's surface. Without the connection to the planet's surface, the platform became unstable and Sulu, standing too close to the edge was flung off. Jim jumped after him. She grabbed ahold of him, and they engaged her chute, but the weight was too much and the cables snapped.

"Kirk to Enterprise!" she screamed. "We're falling without a chute! Beam us up! Beam us up!"

Seconds before they would have crashed onto Vulcan, the familiar sensation of the beaming and they slammed onto the pad in the transporter room. The Russian ensign shouted something foreign in celebration. Spock entered and abruptly ushered them off the platform.

"Spock, are you going down there? What are you nuts? You can't do that!" Jim yelled at him as he knelt on the pad. The Vulcan disappeared in a flash.

Spock was gone for what seemed like an eternity. Those in the transporter room heard his call for the transport of himself and five others as the planet's core collapsed. Chekov tried to get a lock on them all, but the ground beneath one collapsed before he could lock on. The party was beamed aboard, four distraught Vulcans and Spock reaching where his mother had stood. She was lost. The transporter room was silent, and Jim's heart went out to Spock. She knew the hurt of loosing family members.

Hours later, the bridge crew stood discussing their next course of action. It had been confirmed that Nero, the Romulan commander, was headed for Earth.

Jim sat in the Captain's chair. Her hand had been bandaged from the fight earlier. "Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume every Federation planet's a target."

"Out of the chair," Spock said while nodding. Jim rolled her eyes and stood up. Bones hid a chuckle behind his hand.

Chekov asked why they were not destroyed if the Federation was the target. Sulu pointed out that they were poorly undermatched for the Romulan ship.

Spock disagreed. "He said he wanted me to see something. The destruction of my home planet."

Bones spoke up. "How the hell'd they do that, by the way. I mean, where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?"

"The engineering comprehension to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer. Such technology could be theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space-time," Spock stated.

"Damn it man, I'm a doctor. Not a physicist. Are you actually suggesting they're from the future?"

"When you eliminate the impossible, whatever is left, however improbable must be the truth."

"How poetic."

"Then what would an angry future Romulan want with Captain Pike?" Jim asked.

"As Captain, he does know details of Starfleet's defenses," Sulu suggested.

"What we need to do is catch up with that ship, disable it, take it over and get Pike back."

Spock clasped his hands behind his back. "We are technologically outmatched in every way. A rescue attempt would be illogical."

Chekov pointed out that it was near impossible to catch up at their best available speed to catch Nero's ship. It was also impossible to attempt boosting their warp yield as all available crew were assigned to radiation leaks.

Jim and Spock began speaking over each other. "…we cannot contact Starfleet…" Spock was stating matter-of-factly.

"There's got to be some way…" Jim argued back.

"…we must gather with the rest of the Fleet to balance the terms of the next engagement."

"There won't be a next engagement! By the time we've gathered it will be too late! You say he's from the future, knows what's going to happen? Then the 'logical' thing to do would to be unpredictable!"

"You are assuming he knows how events will unfold. The contrary, Nero's very presence here has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the USS Kelvin, culminating in the events of today thereby creating an entire new chain of events that cannot be anticipated by either party," Spock said cooly. "Whatever our lives were before the disruption, our destinies have changed. Mr. Sulu, plot a course for the Laurentian system." He sat in the Captain's chair.

Jim stood in front of Spock. "Spock don't do that! Running back to the fleet for a- a confab is a waste of time! What about Pike? He ordered us to go back and get him. You are captain now! You have to-"

"Cadet Kirk, I am aware of my responsibilities…"

"I will not allow us to go back! Every second we waste he gets closer to his next target!" She began to yell. Her fists clenched at her sides.

McCoy tried to calm her down, to no avail. "Jim he's the Captain now-"

She cut him off. "We need to track Nero down!"

"Security escort her from the bridge," Spock said while standing back up.

Two red shirted security lieutenants stepped up and grabbed her roughly by the arm. Jim, without thinking went into defense mode. The bridge watched as she fought off the men, punching one in the throat. She moved to disable the other when Spock walked up behind her and pinched a nerve in her neck. The world went black and she crumpled to the ground.

Jim woke to a loud beeping. She groaned and asked the computer where she was. Her location was identified as Delta Vega, an unsafe icy Class-M planet. Great. Breathable air but unlivable conditions. Jim was even more convinced that Spock was an asshole. She pressed the release button on the door and began to climb out of the hole the escape pod had dug into the icy surface. When she reached the top, she put on the winter jacket from her survival kit and began to walk in the direction of an outpost her computer had located.

Jim pulled out her log and began a new entry. "Stardate 2258.42...3...whatever. Acting Captain Spock," she said disdainfully, "has marooned me on Delta Vega in what I believe to be a violation of Security protocol 49.09 governing the treatment of prisoners aboard a star..." She stopped recording, hearing something in the distance. Jim looked around her but the snow was too thick to see anything. She squinted and slowly a large object appeared, running in her direction.

Jim's eyes widened and she began to run. The animal chased after her. She slipped on ice and fell down a hill. She got up and continued running. A larger animal, red with large claws and hundreds of eyes erupted from the ground near the other animal. Red killed the first and turned on her. Jim ran into a cavern she saw off to her right. The animal clawed it's way through the small opening. It roared and caught her leg with it's tongue. She fell to the ground, grasping and slipping on the ice.

A figured appeared from the depths of the cavern. He held a torch and waved it at the animal's face. It released it's hold on Jim, and scurried back out into the snow. The man turned and pulled down his hood, revealing the ears of a Vulcan. He looked at Jim, and his face showed recognition. "James T. Kirk. How did you find me?"

"Excuse me?" she wondered aloud. "How do you know my name?"

The man held his hand up and spread his hand in the traditional Vulcan salute. "I have been and always shall be your friend."

Jim shook her head brushed the hair from her face. "Look," she chuckled under her breath, "I don't know you."

The man stared her down. "I am Spock."

Jim did a double take. "Bullshit."

The man called "Spock", because she found it very hard to believe that this was in fact Spock, took her further into the cavern into a small area where he had built a fire. Jim sat down immediately and began to warm her hands.

"It is remarkably pleasing to see you again, old friend, although in a somewhat different form than I am used to. Where I am from you are a human male." He poked at the fire. "It is good especially after the events of today."

Jim stood and began to pace the chamber. "Sir, I appreciate what you've done for me, but if you were Spock, you would know we're not friends. At all." She laughed derisively. "You marooned me here for mutiny!"

"Mutiny? You are not the Captain?"

"No. You're the captain. Pike was taken hostage. And what did you mean, I'm a guy?"

The man sat in silence for a beat. "By Nero."

Jim turned to look at him. "What do you know about him?"

"Spock" looked into the fire. "He is a particularly troubled Romulan." He stood and walked towards Jim. "Please, allow me. It will be easier."

Jim batted his hand away from her face. "Whoa, what are you doing?!"

"Our minds, one and together." He placed his hand on her face, connecting his thumb to her chin, index finger to her nose, and middle finger to her temple. He began to narrate as a stream of images and emotions flooded her mind.

He did indeed come from the future, as did Nero. Romulus orbited a sun that was near a nova stage, and Spock was sent to neutralize it with red, or anti-, matter. The red matter would absorb the energy of the exploding star, but Spock arrived too late. Nero, on a mining mission, watched as Spock injected the star with a canister of red matter, and assumed that he was causing the sun to explode. Despite Spock's efforts, Romulus was destroyed by the sun's explosion energy, and the red matter created a black hole, a path through space-time. Both Nero's ship and Spock's were sucked into the hole, Nero arriving years before Spock. He waited and captured Spock's ship and marooned him on Delta Vega, a planet with a perfect view of Vulcan. Spock was forced to watch as his home was destroyed.

Spock Prime released Jim from the mind meld. She fell to the floor, overcome with emotion, feelings of loss and failure. Spock Prime helped her back to her feet. "Forgive me. Emotional transference is an effect of the mind meld."

Jim choked back a sob. "So you do feel?" She took a few deep breaths to try to calm herself. "Going back in time, you changed all our lives."

Spock Prime nodded. "Jim, we must go. There is a Starfleet outpost not far from here."

"Wait. Where you came from, did I know my father?"

"Yes. Your counterpart often spoke of him as your inspiration for joining Starfleet. He lived to proudly see you become Captain of the Enterprise, the youngest in the history of Starfleet. A ship we must return you to as soon as possible."

Spock sat in the Captain's chair in the center of the bridge receiving updates on the ship's status when Dr. McCoy arrived on the bridge. McCoy walked to the Acting Captain. "You wanted to see me?" he asked gruffly.

Spock stood, "Yes. I am aware that James Kirk is a...friend of yours. I recognize that supporting me as you did must have been difficult."

McCoy raised an eyebrow. "Is that a thank-you?"

"I am simply acknowledging your difficulties." The men walked towards the wall of the bridge.

"Permission to speak freely, sir."

"I welcome it."

McCoy rolled his eyes. "Oh do you?" He stopped in front of Spock and stared him down, unleashing all of his fury for the harshness of Jim's treatment earlier. "Are you out of your Vulcan mind? Are you making the logical choice, sending Kirk away? Maybe, but the right one?" He shook his head. "You know, back home we got a saying. If you're going to ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don't leave your prized stallion in the stable!"

"A curious metaphor, doctor, as a stallion must first be broken to realize it's potential."

McCoy stared in disbelief. "My God, man! You could at least act like it was a hard decision!"

"I attend to assist in the effort to reestablish communication with Starfleet. However, if crew morale is better served by my roaming the halls weeping, I will defer to your medical opinion." Spock looked over McCoy's shoulder and observed his father entering the bridge. "If you will excuse me."

McCoy watched him leave the bridge, stunned at the Vulcan's callousness. "Green blooded hobgoblin," he muttered under his breath.


	11. Chapter 11

Jim and Spock trekked for an hour through the harsh conditions of Delta Vega. When they arrived at the Starfleet outpost, Jim struggled for breath. She looked at the older Vulcan beside her, standing with no visible signs of any physical exertion. Jim groaned.

The door to the outpost opened to a long tiled hallway. It was dark, lit by failing fluorescents on the ceiling. Jim heard tools slamming from the end of the hallway. She glanced up at Spock and called out. A voice yelled something unintelligible in response and she could hear footsteps. A small form appeared and ran down the hallway too them. When the being came into focus, Jim did not recognize the species. A small alien, about a meter tall, with grey scaley skin and metallic eyestalks gestured for the pair to follow him…her? Jim wasn't exactly sure.

The alien led Jim and Spock past several machines and past a derelict shuttle towards a desk where a lone man slept. The creature tapped the man on the shoulder. The man woke up and removed his hat from his face. "What?!" He looked from the creature to the visitors and sat up. "Do you realize how unacceptable this is?" Jim noted his Scottish brogue.

Spock's eyes lit up (as much as they could) with recognition. "Fascinating."

The man rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm sure it's not your fault, and I know you're just doing your jobs, but could you not come a wee bit sooner?! Six months I've been living on nothing but Starfleet protein nibs and the promise of a real food. Six months!" He picked up a rations packet and waved it at them. "It's pretty clear what's going on here. Punishment! Ongoing! For something that was clearly an accident."

Spock just looked at the officer. "You are Montgomery Scott." Kirk looked at him in confusion.

"Aye, yes that's me. You're in the right place…unless there are any other hard-working and equally starved Starfleet officers around."

The small alien beside him grunted, "Me."

Scott scoffed and turned towards him. "Keenser, shut up! You eat nothing. You could eat like a bean and you're done." He turned back to Jim and Spock. "I'm talking about food, real food. So. Thank you. Where is it?"

"You are in fact the Mr. Scott who postulated the theory of trans-warp beaming," Spock said, his voice still holding a trace of disbelief.

"Yes! That's what I'm talking about! How'd you think I wound up here? Got into a little debate with my instructor on the issue of relativistic physics as they pertain to subspace travel. He seemed to think the range of transporting a grapefruit was limited to a few hundred miles. I told him I could not only beam it from one planet to the adjacent planet in the same system- which is easy, by the way- but I could also do it with a lifeform." He took a sip of his coffee. "So I tested it on Admiral Archer's prize beagle."

Jim looked at him in confusion. "I know that dog. What happened to it?"

"I'll tell you when it reappears. I feel guilty about that," he said sheepishly.

Spock took Scott aside. "What if I told you that your trans-warp theory was correct? That it was indeed possible to beam onto a ship that is travelling at warp speed?"

Scott let out a hardy laugh. "If there was such an equation, I'd have heard about it."

"The reason you haven't heard of it, Mr. Scott, is because you haven't discovered it yet."

The room fell silent. Scott's jaw opened and closed multiple times, trying to find something to say in response to that. Jim's brain was still trying to recover from all the events of the day.

Scott shook his head slowly. "You're from the future, are you? Brilliant. Do they still have sandwiches there?" Jim laughed at this.

Spock convinced Scott to let him illustrate his equation. The only working transporter was located on the derelict shuttle they saw earlier. Scotty banged the side with a wrench. "She's a wee bit dodgy. Shield emitters are totally banjaxed…along with a few other things."

Inside, Spock headed straight for a computer and typed on the keys for a moment. Scott came and watched over his shoulder. Spock stepped aside to allow the other man a better look at the screen. "Your equation for achieving trans-warp beaming."

Scott's face went from dumbfounded to awe to delight. "Imagine that!" he exclaimed softly. "Never occurred to me to think of space as the thing that's moving."

Spock moved towards the transporter pad. "Extrapolating the Enterprise's course-"

"The Enterprise? Had her maiden voyage already? She's one endowed lady. I'd love to get my hands on her ample nacelles, if you'll pardon the engineering parlance," Scott added, with a sheepish look at Jim. She waved him off.

"Now's your chance, Mr. Scott."

Scotty shook his head. "Look, even if I believed you, where you're from, what you've done (which I don't, by the way), we're still taking about slingshotting aboard while she's going faster than light. Without a proper receiving pad. That's like trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet whilst wearing a blindfold. On a horse!"

Spock ignored the man, plotting coordinates into the shuttle's computer. Jim walked up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. "You're coming with us, right?"

"No, Jim. My destiny lies along a different path."

"But- he won't believe me! Only you can explain-"

Spock interrupted firmly. "Under no circumstances can he be made aware of my existence. You must promise me this."

Jim sputtered. "You're telling me that I can't tell you… that I'm following your own orders? Why not? What happens?"

"Trust me. Above all. Jim, this is the one rule you cannot break. To stop Nero, you alone must take command of your ship."

"How?" Jim scoffed. "Over your dead body?"

For once, Jim could see a small sense of humor in the Vulcan. "Preferably not. There is, however, Starfleet Regulation 619. 619 states that any commanding officer who is emotionally compromised by the mission at hand must resign said command."

Jim looked confused. "So I need to emotionally compromise you…guys?"

"Jim. I just lost my planet. I can tell you, I am emotionally compromised."

Scott moved past them and stood on the pad. "Aye then. Live of die, lassie, let's get this over with." He gently removed Keenser from his side. "No, you cannot come with me."

Jim moved to the pad and turned to look at Spock. "You know changing history? That's cheating."

"A trick I learned from an old friend."

"I still have questions for you."

Spock's eyes softened slightly. "Another time, my old friend." He raised his hand in a Vulcan salute. "Live long and prosper."

When Jim's eyes opened, she was in the engineering deck of the Enterprise. A grin spread across her face. They did it! There was no one around. She looked to her left. There was no one there. "Mr. Scott!" Her grin slipped from her face. "MR. SCOTT!"

Banging behind her caught her attention. Oh no. " , CAN YOU HEAR ME!" She followed the banging through to a clear tube. Mr. Scott had been accidentally beamed into the water turbine tubes. She could hear him calling her name, muffled by the water. Scott was swept quickly through the tube, and Jim ran after him. She threw off her coat to give her free use of her limbs.

"Hold on, Mr. Scott!" She followed the tube with her eyes and saw a release valve. Jim ran to the control board and hacked into the controls. A second later Mr. Scott fell from the valve onto the floor of Engineering. Jim rushed over to him. "Mr. Scott, are you all right?"

Scott spit a mouthful of water on the floor and coughed. "My head's buzzing and I'm soaked, but otherwise I'm fine." Jim helped him to stand. They hurried towards the doors of the section, running up and down stairs.

It wasn't long before they were surrounded by security. Jim and Mr. Scott were escorted to the Bridge before Acting Captain Spock.

"Who are you?" he addressed Scott.

Jim spoke before Scott could. "He's with me."

Spock turned to Jim. "We are travelling at warp speed. How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?"

"You're the genius. You figure it out."

"As Acting Captain of this vessel, I order you to answer the question."

"Well, I'm not telling, Acting Captain," Jim sneered. She could see that he was somewhat taken aback by that. "What, now that doesn't frustrate you, does it? My lack of cooperation? That doesn't make you angry."

Spock returned to Scott. "Are you a member of Starfleet?"

Scott looked at Jim before answering. "Yes. Can I- can I get a towel?"

"Under penalty of court martial, I order you to explain to me how you beamed ab-"

Jim again spoke before Scott could. "Don't answer him."

"You will answer me." Jim could see she was beginning to get under Spock's skin.

Scott looked back and forth between the power struggle. "I'd rather not take sides."

"What is it with you Spock? Huh? Your planet was just destroyed. Your mother murdered… and you're not even upset?" Jim cut straight for the quick.

Spock spoke very quietly. "If you are presuming that these experiences interfere in any way with my abilities to command this ship, you are mistaken."

Jim went in close. "And yet, you were the one who said fear was necessary for command. I mean, did you see their ship? Did you see what they did?"

"Yes, of course I did."

"So are you afraid or aren't you?"

"I will not allow you to lecture me on the merits of emotion."

"Then why don't you stop me?"

Spock tensed. "Step away from me, Cadet Kirk."

Jim stepped even closer. She looked over Spock's shoulder and met McCoy's eyes. They urged her not to stop whatever it was she was doing. Jim forced herself to break contact. She had to do this. "What is it like not to feel? Anger. Or heartbreak. Or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the death of the woman who gave birth to you." She noted Spock lean backwards slightly. "You must not feel anything! It must not even compute for you!" And with her final statement, she hated herself more than ever before. Jim knew the pain of losing a parent. "You never loved her!"

With a roar, Spock launched himself at her, punching her in the face. The sheer force was enough to throw Jim across the bridge. Spock followed, grabbing her throat and lifting her onto the helm. Jim fought back, hitting enough spots of weakness on both Vulcans and human males, but Spock's fury held him up. He threw wild punches in her direction. She wriggled beneath his grasp enough to miss a few, but the hand gripping her throat squeezed tighter and tighter. A male voice, Spock's father, yelled as black spots dotted Jim's vision.

At the sound of his father's voice, Spock stilled instantly. His fist, raised in another punch, released itself and fell to his side and the hand around Jim's throat loosened its grip. Jim gasped for air and clutched at her throat. Spock turned to look at his father, a look of desperation and then resign floating over his features. He walked to McCoy.

"Doctor, I am no longer fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command on the grounds that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log." He continued past the doctor and exited the bridge to a stunned quiet. No one moved.

Scott spoke up in the background, still dripping wet from his unexpected bath, "I like this ship…it's exciting."

Bones turned to face Jim. His eyes were filled with disappointment. He had never known her to be that cruel. "Congratulations, Jim," he said with traces of anger in his voice. "Now we've got no Captain and no goddamn first officer to replace him."

Jim got up from the helm, still clutching her throat. "Yeah we do," she croaked.

Bones looked around in confusion. Sulu stood and pointed out that Pike had made Kirk the first officer before he left. Bones was stunned. "You gotta be kidding me."

"Thanks for the support," Jim said as she sat in the Captain's chair. She looked around, noting many shocked and unhappy faces. She hit the button for shipwide transmissions. "Attention crew of the Enterprise. This is James Kirk. Mr. Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to Acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet, but I've ordered a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes." She paused, looking at Bones. "Either we're going down, or they are. Kirk out." She hit the button, ending the transmission.

Half an hour later, after Jim was forced to sit through a rough checkup with McCoy, the bridge crew, minus Spock, stood discussing their possible options. Kirk was adamant that they were unnoticed in approaching or boarding Nero's massive ship.

Chekov interrupted nervously. "Captain Kirk?" At Jim's go ahead, he launched into a theory of how to sneak up on the Romulans. "If Mr. Scott can drop us out of warp behind one of Saturn's moons, say Titan, the magnetic distortion from the planet's rings will make us invisible to Nero's sensors. From there, as long as the drill is not activated, we can beam aboard the enemy ship."

Mr. Scott came around from behind Jim. "Aye, that might work." He rubbed a towel over his head.

Bones shook his head. "Wait a minute, kid, how old are you?"

Chekov puffed out his chest proudly. "Seventeen sir."

"Oh good, Jim, he's seventeen," McCoy muttered.

The door to the turbolift opened and Spock entered the bridge. "Doctor, Mr. Chekov is correct. I can confirm his telemetry. If Mr. Sulu is able to maneuver us into position, I can beam aboard Nero's ship, steal the black hole device, and (if possible) retrieve Captain Pike."

"I won't allow you to do that, Mr. Spock." Jim found it hard to meet his eyes.

"Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestry. Our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access their ship's computer to locate the device." He met Jim's eyes. "Also, my mother was human. Which makes Earth the only home I have left."

Jim smiled slightly. "Then I'm coming with you."

"I would cite regulation," Spock said, finally reminding her of the old Spock, "but I know you will simply ignore it."

Jim grinned openly and slapped Spock on the shoulder. "See? We are getting to know each other."

The Enterprise stopped behind Titan as smoothly as planned. Sulu called down to Scott in the transporter room, who relayed the information to Kirk and Spock. Jim spoke over the line to Sulu. "Whatever happens, Mr. Sulu, if you feel you have a tactical advantage, fire on that ship. Even if we're still onboard. That's an order. Other wise we'll contact the Enterprise when we're ready to be beamed back."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by a sigh. "Yes, sir."

Jim turned to see Uhura openly kissing Spock, and unless she was very mistaken, Spock was indeed returning the kiss. She nudged Scotty who simply shrugged. When she stepped on the pad, Uhura backed away and stood by Scott. Jim gestured between Spock and Uhura. "You and… her?"

"I have no comment on the matter."

Scott shook his head and returned to his consol. "If there's any common sense to their ship, I should be putting you somewhere in the cargo bay. Shouldn't be a soul in sight."

Jim nodded at Spock and looked at Scotty. "Energize."

The two materialized in the "cargo bay" of the Romulan ship. Instead of there being no one around, Kirk and Spock found themselves surrounded by six Romulans. They pulled their weapons and dove behind cover. A firefight ensued, with Spock and Jim miraculously coming out on the winning side. Spock moved to a stunned Romulan and began to mind meld with him. He looked at Jim.

"Do you know where it is? The black hole device," Jim whispered.

Spock nodded. "And Captain Pike," he added grimly.

McCoy could only wait, helplessly in his opinion, back on the Enterprise. There was plenty to do. The Enterprise still sheltered the majority of the remaining Vulcans, many of whom still required medical attention. He checked in with his head nurse, Chapel, and began to make his rounds. Many patients had healed enough to send them on their way, returning them to duty. His mind was still on Jim, however.

Her behavior had disturbed him. Fighting the guards he could understand, it was in her nature and she really didn't like being touched without permission. But the personal attack on Spock wasn't her. Something happened on Delta Vega, but he hadn't had the time to speak with her about it. He resolved to speak with her when she returned. Bones didn't allow himself to think of any other option than that she would return.

They made their way to the black hole device, which was housed in a small shuttle located in the hangar bay. Jim recognized it from her mind meld with the older Spock.

"I forsee a complication," Spock noted as he walked through the shuttle. "The design of their ship is far more advanced than I had anticipated."

The computer sprang to life. "Voice print and face recognition initiated. Welcome back, Ambassador Spock."

Spock looked at Jim, who very pointedly avoided eye contact. "Wow…that's weird."

"Computer, what is your manufacturing origin?" Spock asked.

"Stardate 2397, commissioned by the Vulcan Science Academy."

Spock fixed his gaze on Jim who studied the walls intently. "It appears you've been keeping valuable information from me."

"You're going to be able to fly this thing, right?" Jim finally looked at him.

"It appears I already have. Jim? If I do not return, please tell Lieutenant Uhura-"

"Spock, it'll work!" Jim forced a smile. "It'll work." She exited the ship and made her way out of the hangar bay, catching sight of the shuttle starting up. Jim followed a maze of corridors, meeting no one, on her way to the location of Captain Pike. She caught something in the corner of her eye. Jim raised her phaser only to be knocked on the side of the head with the butt of a gun.

She was knocked to the ground. Before she could get up, a Romulan stood over her. She recognized him from the viewscreen. Nero.

He picked Jim up by her hair, raising her before him. "Well, you aren't who I expected, but you'll do." He hit her face with the back of his hand and sent her flying across the floor. He crossed over to her and began to kick her.

A siren blared above his head and he turned to a Romulan at a wall consol. The Romulan hit a button, and shouted, "Nero! The Vulcan ship has been taken and the drill has been destroyed."

Nero roared in anger and turned to his second in command. The Romulan smiled and picked Jim up by the throat as Nero left. Jim squirmed beneath his grasp and clutched at him. He walked to the edge of the platform and held her over the side. She tried to speak but was unable to.

"You humans are so weak. You can't even speak." He loosened his grasp on her throat a little bit and turned his ear towards her. "What was that?"

"I got-your gun!" She managed as she pulled the trigger. The man collapsed and she hit the edge of the platform. She clutched frantically at the side and the Romulan fell over the edge. Jim managed to swing her leg back onto the platform and pulled herself up. She lay there for a moment, regaining her breath before getting up and making her way towards Pike's location once more.

She came across a room that held a man strapped to a table in the center. The man wore the traditional command gold. Pike. She looked around her, and holstered her weapon and ran to him. Pike stirred slightly.

"Hey," she said quietly. "Just following orders to bring you back."

He sat up quickly and pulled her phaser from her belt and fired four times. Four guards behind her fell to the ground. "Thanks, sir."

Pike nodded and slumped back down. Jim wrapped his arm around her neck and lifted him to his feet. "Enterprise," she called into her comm, "beam us up."

She, Captain Pike, and Spock were all beamed back to the Enterprise at the same time. Scotty was congratulating himself and the transporter chief beside him on the difficulties of beaming targets from different locations.

Bones rushed in with a medical team. "Jim!" he exclaimed in relief, before turning his attention to the Captain. Jim transferred Pike to the medical team and rushed to the bridge, Spock in tow.

On the bridge, Jim ordered a channel opened to the Romulan ship. The Narada was losing power and was without shields and Spock's red matter ship had been left on a collision course. A singularity was beginning in the middle of the ship. "This is James T Kirk of the USS Enterprise." Nero looked shocked, more at her name than anything else. "Your ship is compromised. Too close to the singularity to survive without assistance…which we are willing to provide."

Spock turned and whispered in her ear. "Captain, what are you doing?"

"It's compassion. It may be the only way to earn peace with Romulus. It's logic, Spock, I thought you'd like that."

He raised an eyebrow. "No, not really. Not this time."

Jim shrugged and turned her attention back to Nero.

"I would rather suffer the death of Romulus a thousand times than accept assistance from you," Nero shouted.

"You got it." Jim turned to Chekov and Sulu. "Fire everything we got!"

The Enterprise fired a barrage of torpedoes and phasers at the dead ship. It wasn't long, however, until Jim noticed the toll the gravity well of the singularity was taking on the ship. She pushed the comm button on the Captain's chair. "Kirk to Engineering. Get us out of here Scotty!"

"You bet your ass, Captain!" came the frantic reply.

The Enterprise continued to be pulled into the gravity well. "Scotty? Why aren't we at warp?!"

"WE ARE!"

"Go to maximum warp! Push it!"

"I'm giving her all she's got, Captain!"

"All she's got isn't good enough! What else do you got?"

There was a pause. Scotty's voice came across desperate and frantic. "If we eject the core and detonate, the blast could be strong enough to push us away, but I can't promise anything!"

Kirk pondered this for a half second until a huge pressure crack appeared on the view screen. "DO IT DO IT DO IT!" she screamed.

The core of the Enterprise was ejected and detonated remotely. The resulting energy wave was just strong enough to overcome the gravity of the singularity and the Enterprise was pushed out into space. The entire bridge released the breaths they had been holding and began to cheer. Jim sat down in her chair and closed her eyes in relief.


End file.
